I am a brand new SPD-er, in the sense that I only recently found out what SPD was about and that I most definitely fit the profile. So far, it has been two weeks since I swallowed the whole Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight book, aka Sarah's Life Story, aka Dan's Life Story. (cheers, Dan! ) I am having a very stressful time with my SPD because of several life circumstances, and I've decided that I need a sensory diet.

Only problem is, I can't afford to go to an OT to get one. So I need to make my own.

So far, here is what I've learned. I am sensory defensive in all the traditional senses to different extents and very vestibularly defensive. In sight, I can't stand bright light and often have headaches from all light. In hearing, I am the worst. All sound vibrates throughout my entire body. I have an opera degree, so the smallest negative variation in pitch makes my skin crawl. The buzzing of fluorescent lights can drive me mad on a bad day, but the worst is the television. I can't look away from even a "muted" television set because of the sound the on screen makes. I can jump sky high at the smallest noise. Touch, gah, that's a killer. My husband constantly wants to know why I pull away or why I sleep with my back to my child while he's in our bed. My personal space sometimes seems like a chasm, and I can't STAND the feeling of anything slimy on my hands. I also can''t wear socks. And just looking at someone with some kind of bump on their skin makes the bottoms of my feet go crazy. Scent is not so bad; I just can't stand anything chemical, like perfumes, Lysol, bleach. Taste is problematic but not dramatic; I'm just more sensitive to salt and sweet than most, although I have recently gotten even more defensive about swallowing foods. Vestibular is a nightmare. I can't look at a cartoon character standing within a foot of a cliff, much less a person standing near me leaning on a railing or (argh!) sitting on it. I've had to leave sporting events because I couldn't handle looking at the field. And I can't swim because of the terror of not feeling my feet on the ground. Add to that that I'm also sensory seeking with chewing and rocking, and you get me.

Ok, done with that part. Here's what I've done so far as far as sensory diets go.

I have a therapy ball, the kind you sit on. I like to roll on that on my stomach. Gives an amazing amount of pressure, but makes it hard to breathe while I'm doing it because I am severely overweight. It helps for a few hours afterward; I feel more relaxed. I also sometimes use it to bounce and sway back and forth, which also relaxes, but to a lesser extent.

I have a yoga ball, the small kind filled with sand meant as a small hand weight. I lie on it and use it to massage my lower back, where I have a lumbar vertebra that is always out of socket. I usually do this at night before sleeping, and I can feel the relaxation from that part way into the next day.

I have a hard plastic coffee stirrer at work that I chew on throughout the day. It helps my need to clench my jaws constantly. I've tried gum, but my quick gag reflex/swallow defensiveness kicks in and cancels some of the good effects. Other than that, compulsive overeating has been the name of the game for years. Definitely not my goal now, so I'd like to improve here.

I recently found a finger rosary online for hand stimulation. I am often seeking tactile input with my fingers and hands, so this works well as a meditative device (no offense to the Catholics who might be around, but I use prayers other than those strictly called for by traditional Catholic rosaries). I also sometimes use it for a pressure device when I'm getting overwhelmed while driving, since it fits on my ring finger on my right had and has knobs that can be squeezed. Not ideal, but it is a beautiful piece of antique art. (shrug)

I am learning that lots of what I did as a musician was probably done in my own defense unconsciously. I've started doing simple voice warm-ups again in my car on the way to work. It gives good vibrations and helps drown out some highway noise, but it cuts my concentration for driving while it calms my nerves. I really wish I could have my piano in my home, but it's too big. That was an awesome sensory workout; music notes in tune, vibrations, deep pressure from fingers all the way through shoulders, back, and torso, and drowning out other noises. (sigh)

I apologize for this being so long, but these routines aren't turning into nearly enough for me. I really need a better, more organized sensory diet. I am also in deep need of some "emergency" coping mechanisms as well. My current job is low key, but the job I'm applying for now is a public position in a library, so while it is quiet mostly, there's a lot of movement in areas surrounding my (possible) post. Any kind of insight or advice would be deeply appreciated.