I'm also 20 and have SPD. I was diagnosed 4 years ago and I've managed to learn and improve a lot over the last couple years in particular. I've found tons of tools to assist me in day to day life from a weighted vest, weighted blanket, custom earplugs, noise canceling headphones, specialized glasses, sunglasses, visored hats, swings, fidgets, chewy or crunchy foods. The list goes on. I started to make a list of all the tools I use or have tried over the years, and I got to about 50 different tools, and that's before I get to the coping mechanisms I've developed (like learning how my body feels so I know if I need to leave a situation before I go into complete overload) or the human assistance I use (such as someone guiding me through a visually overwhelming environment.)

I have the most trouble with hearing, vision, and touch; though smell, proprioception, my vestibular sense and pain tolerance are affected too. For hearing I'm oversensitive to certain noises and any loud noise in general. For vision I am both oversensitive and have difficulty processing what I'm seeing. So I walk into stuff or I'm u able to make things out clearly even though I have 20 20 vision on and eye test. Flashing lights, LEDs, and some fluorescents completely do me in and can make me lose the ability to speak and navigate my surroundings. I also have trouble reading on a white background but I use colored overlays to help with that. I'm very picky about clothes and certain textures like soft fuzzy things and lotion, or a light touch can cause me to recoil or even freeze like a human statue. Some food textures cause my mouth to freeze too and showering is a nightmare. But I'm also sensory seeking in touch too. I love feeling poking and bumping things especially on the bottom of my feet and the palms of my hands.


I also have an anxiety disorder. The SPD and anxiety feed off of each other. Anxiety triggers a flight of fight response that involves heightened senses, which in turn makes my sensory issues worse. My sensory issues can cause me to become anxious (I'm not totally sure why, but I think it's because being overloaded has lead to so many difficult situations that I've learned to expect something difficult and so I get anxious. I do know that have different tools at my disposal has helped reduce the anxiety.)

I agree that there is a sad lack of resources out there specifically for adults with SPD. Finding an occupational therapist who actually knows how to work with adults is difficult. But there are resources out there. The vast majority of autistics (like myself) also have sensory processing difficulties, even if they don't have a separate diagnosis of SPD. So I've learned a lot mostly through online disability and autism forums. There are also tons of blogs by autistic adults that have helpful resources.

I've started toying with the idea of started a blog about tools and strategies specially for adults with SPD. There's not a lot out there, so maybe my experiences and the things I've learned could be helpful.