Just a Small Town Girl...Living in a Big City

by Steph
(United States)

I am an adult living with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). I was diagnosed at the age of five, but didn't find out until I was about fifteen. For a while, I adjusted to living with it, even embraced it in a way, but now I live in the city and I have been immensely struggling.

I have an aversion to loud noises like ice scrapers on windshields, sirens, machinery clanking and screeching, and people shouting close to me. Albeit I have improved over the years at dealing with it, lately it seems I'm more bothered by it than usual.

I grew up in a small town, so the hustle and bustle of the city is getting to me, and I haven't lived here long, but am still having trouble becoming accustomed to it. Also, this is my first time making a major move to someplace else, so I haven't been doing too great at adjusting in terms of that either.

Maybe the city life and people with SPD just don't get along, but I'm sure there are others who live in the city and can relate or who have experienced something similar. If you're reading this, I am curious to know your thoughts, because for me, it's pretty overwhelming.

Does anybody have advice for how to cope with this?