Product Description

In the publishing tradition of Driven to Distraction or The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing, this prescriptive book by a developmental psychologist and sufferer of Sensory Defensive Disorder (SD) sheds light on a little known but common affliction in which sufferers react to harmless stimuli as irritating, distracting or dangerous.

We all know what it feels like to be irritated by loud music, accosted by lights that are too bright, or overwhelmed by a world that moves too quickly. But millions of people suffer from Sensory Defensive Disorder (SD), a common affliction in which people react to harmless stimuli not just as a distracting hindrance, but a potentially dangerous threat.Sharon Heller, Ph.D. is not only a trained psychologist, she is sensory defensive herself. Bringing both personal and professional perspectives, Dr. Heller is the ideal person to tell the world about this problem that will only increase as technology and processed environments take over our lives. In addition to heightening public awareness of this prevalent issue, Dr. Heller provides tools and therapies for alleviating and, in some cases, even eliminating defensiveness altogether.

Until now, the treatment for sensory defensiveness has been successfully implemented in Learning Disabled children in whom defensiveness tends to be extreme. However, the disorder has generally been unidentified in adults who think they are either overstimulated, stressed, weird, or crazy. These sensory defensive sufferers live out their lives stressed and unhappy, never knowing why or what they can do about it. Now, with Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight, they have a compassionate spokesperson and a solution–oriented book of advice.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8599 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-01
• Released on: 2003-12-02
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Heller, a developmental psychologist, knows firsthand how difficult life can be for people suffering from sensory defensiveness (SD). Symptoms include flinching from touch; overly acute senses of smell; fear of escalators; irritation at certain lights; and eating disorders. While these symptoms are often present from birth, for many other people they can be triggered by some traumatic event. Adding to the pain is the difficulty in diagnosing this ailment-some sufferers are told they have ADD or autism. Heller briefly discusses her own successful therapy and how it transformed her life. The book includes four sections-the first two focus on an overview of the condition, and the second two examine treatment, including diet, medication and relaxation techniques. Useful appendices list alternative treatments and resources. The writing is clear and relatively jargon-free, and sprinkled throughout the book are anecdotes from patients who have successfully battled SD. Patients who have this condition will find this book reassuring, especially since Heller discusses a treatment and usually follows up with a real-life scenario. For example, the section on light therapy ends with a success story of a woman who had learned to cope with her light sensitivity: "[Anna] realized that her eyes were wide open, no longer slits. She had spent years walking around in a haze, blinded by glare, with her brain taking in only a sliver of light." For people with SD, this title will wonderfully supplement their medical treatment.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

New York Newsday
Dr. Sharon Heller has written a fascinating account of how sensation can run amok and cause problems.

About the Author

Sharon Heller, Ph.D., is the author of The Vital Touch and teaches courses in psychology. She received her master's degree from the University of Chicago and her doctorate from Loyola University of Chicago. She lives in South Florida.

Customer Reviews

Check this out!
I found this book while looking for ADD information. I am so glad that I did. I just recently found out about Sensory Integration Dysfunction. This book is very informative in explaining how this disorder is woven into your life and how it plays out in different people. When reading it I found myself saying, "That sounds just like me". The language is a little hard to understand with some of the technical jargon but the sample stories to show how people live with this disorder are great and help the reader to understand what it means. This is overall a good book but I find it just a little to long. If it was more direct and more in layman's terms I would have found it to be better. All in all though, it is good for someone who needs more information on the disorder.

This is unique
There are many books about children with sensory processing disorders. This is the only one I have found that deals with adults who have grown up with it. The book is full of practical advice - actual steps one can take to manage sensory input. It's well organized and has a good resource section.

great book
I have a son that has autism. It is a must read because most of our kids either are under sensitive or over sensitive. This is a very easy to read book. It explains what the Occupational Therapists do with our kids.