Welcome in to the Virtual Sensory Room! This guide contains resources to help make the library, campus, and life more sensory-friendly. While this was designed with the neurodivergent student body in mind, the Virtual Sensory Room is for everyone.
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a neurological condition in which your brain has difficulties with sensory information input and output. It can affect your main five senses (vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell), as well as your vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive senses. You can read more about those last three senses on the Movement & Mindfulness page.
SPD commonly occurs in neurodivergent individuals, such as those with ADHD, autism, or OCD. People can be over-responsive or under-responsive to sensory stimuli, and this can change for each sense. For example, someone may seek out tactile sensations, but they will avoid auditory stimulation. Some people with SPD experience only mild discomfort in situations that don’t meet their sensory needs, while others can experience a significant drop in quality of life.
Pederson, T., & Moawad, H. (2024, July 9). How does sensory processing disorder affect adults? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/sensory-processing-disorder-in-adults
Please take a moment to share your thoughts about the Virtual Sensory Room so we can make a better resource for you.