What are your sensory issues?

[Loomis]

Car alarms are one of the most awful sounds I can think of. I rarely hear them where I live now and I am very grateful for that. When I lived in Los Angeles it seemed as if they would be set off ten or twenty times a day. It likely was nowhere near that frequency but my memory no doubt exaggerates it because hearing that blaring sound was so grating it is indelibly etched in my psyche.

 

[buckyboy14]

Speaking of car horns, I hate parking garages. The sound is magnified by about 100%, and I have to keep my ears covered whenever I walk through those death traps.

 

[Aalo]

I react quite strongly on pitching sounds and constant low voices. First ones make me restless and secondly mentioned affect on my whole posture as I feel to ruck up. My house has bit old air conditioning system and I always sleep with ear plugs not to be irritated bu this.

Hot and moist air is bad. It has certain air pressure, that overwhelms easily. Also my skin allergies get irritated and inflamed on summer, but they're not easy to wash or take care because water dries the scalp and lotions usually stuck pores making skin feeling unable to breath. Also bright light, and I'm waaay too lazy trying to switch on and off glasses and sunglasses. So I'm bit fall-winter person as I like even way too cold to be much better. And I sleep window open on winters too for fresh air.

Shower I manage, but swimming is extremely tingly. Still, it's not purely bad.
I have come to believe I'm having more sensitive fingertips than most. I can easily feel temperatures, textures and materials of different surfaces and remember them ofc.
Oh, and I can sleep with really thin pad, even on roots and rocks, but I need to swipe every crumb from my bed before falling asleep.

 

[Maq]

Sensory Issues...
How about wearing socks on a carpeted floor.. /shudder
Or dry wood on my tongue makes me cringe. I have to dip chop sticks in water first. I can't eat a whole pop sickle, or use toothpicks...
Or something extremely sticky like syrup on my clothes...
And abrupt noises. Not necessarily loud, but abrupt. Door slam, cabinet slam, fire crackers..
I cannot eat certain foods based on texture even if they taste good..

 

[Ylva]

Hearing. Sounds are louder and sharper to me than to other people. It can be directly painful.

Things seem to move very fast when I observe them.

I think the reason my dog prefers to be petted by me is that I feel her better. I am aware of my skin all the time; clothes, pressures, itches? I can't ignore any of it.

 

[Loomis]

Hearing. Sounds are louder and sharper to me than to other people. It can be directly painful.

I agree. It always baffled me when I was in my twenties and went into a bar where the music was insanely loud. I just did not understand how or why anyone could enjoy bands playing instruments at such an intensity. I remember having to shout to the person next to me in order to be heard over the obnoxious noise others called music.

 

[abinun1987]

Noise, especially noise coming from outside my room or house that I can hear... I go into full-on panic mode when that happens. Sometimes light or color depending on my stress levels and the memories that are associated with those things. Textures... depending on the texture, I can either salivate or recoil and get goosebumps. I also can't stand lotions or creams... and pretty much anything on my hands bothers the crap out of me. I hate feeling rain on me, it freaks me out and I often try to run in a panic to wherever I have to go if I'm caught in the rain -- it took me forever to get used to taking a shower because of this and even longer to wash my face in a shower.

 

[Kari Suttle]

Noise is my biggest sensory issue. Like right now i'm in my room and if i hear, say, the door slam downstairs i'll instantly flinch and go into panic mode. it happened a few minutes ago actually. that happens for just about any sudden, loud noise. Well for me its loud - even something like someone dropping textbooks on the floor makes me jump and flinch and gives me anxiety. Walmart is hell for me when its busy - all the people, all the noises (babies screaming, registers beeping, carts, etc), its just too much. I'm also really sensitive to sunlight, but that's about it when it comes to light.

Oh and touch! I'm hyposensitive to touch, i think. For example, I will not sleep unless i have a heavy blanket or few on me (wont even feel safe without them), i cant stand loose clothing, and i naturaly walk really heavily (did even as a baby - we would get complaints from the people below us in our apartment back then it was that bad!). I have a high pain tolerance, too - like at first yeah it hurts but then its like okay it hurts so what and go back to doing whatever i was doing even if it still hurts when most people wouldn't.

 

[laurahansb]

I feel the very same way about noisy environments. I went to a restaurant/arcade with some friends a few weeks ago, and when I excused myself to go to the restroom, I found out that I had to cut through the very noisy hectic game room to get to the bathroom. Well, needless to say, between the horrible noise and the very bright lights, I freaked out. I had the same fight or flight response. I basically had a minor panic attack. I just wanted to get out of there, which thanks to my understanding friends, I did. It took me hours to calm down after I got home. So I definitely feel your pain in that respect.

When I go to parties, I often can't stay the entire time because the crowd and everyone's voices, plus other background noise blends together in one overwhelming blur. I feel like life in that moment is almost passing me by. But more often than not, the environment presses down on me, making me feel like a caged rat. So while I try to have fun, I also know my limits and try to look out for myself.

 

[SUM1]

I'm sensitive to sudden loud noise. I'm very jumpy if I hear something unexpectedly.

I have phonophobia. I have a fear of loud noises.

 

[buckyboy14]

I just got a haircut, and I hate haircuts because unless the person cutting my hair is extremely gentle, it always hurts me. And the person who cut my hair today seemed to be in a hurry, and she just plowed the razor through my hair as fast as possible. And it HURT. I was seriously about to cry. I thought that haircuts were somewhat painful for everybody, but I guess that's not the case.

 

[pjcnet]

Other people's music most of all (especially bass), any other background noises like knocking, people walking about, cars outside, neighbour noises Etc when sitting in my flat really bother me, often to the extreme and it can make me extremely anxious to the point of not coping. I'm constantly listening out and can be made into a nervous wreck over them, even often worrying in case it starts happening. I hear noises that other people often wouldn't even notice when sitting in my flat as if I have a visitor I can be really upset by a noise that I have to point out to them for them to even acknowledge it as there. I wish I could override this as it's illogical as these sounds cannot hurt me, but I cannot help it.

I also cannot cope with the sound of a broom brushing across the floor, I just cannot cope with hearing the noise for some reason and it's hard for me to explain. It really makes me cringe, I don't know why, but unlike the previous issues I've wrote about it's not something I have to worry about often.

I didn't think light bothered me, but then people ask why I never open my curtains to my flat ever and I really never ever do or want to. I prefer sitting in semi darkness alone all the time on my PC (computers have been my obsessive interest since 1979 at the age of 10) and I hate it when the sun shines in and I try to pin my curtains back with objects as much as possible to keep it out, so I guess light does bother me.

 

[Paroxysm]

Noises can be one. Lots of random chatter/too much chatter at once coming in at once (even if its only my mother babbling about her laptop and my sister telling me about something with hers at the same time) or sudden shrill noises. Light sensitivities. Changes in or overly bright light makes me scream. Smell is odd, I either have sinus issues and don't notice at all, or I will notice the SMALLEST HINT of perfume/cologne and damn near choke to death (talk about something you can't tell someone).... I also notice bad breath really easily - which makes me fear my own breath being horrible (Sudden noises will make me jump/cringe but I don't think it's a sensory issue, I think it's a distaste for shock deal) .... and cameras.... ugh flashes, I really HATE flashes... though that's with the light sensitivity I guess.

Touch is weird for me, I'm either hypersensitive or COMPLETELY numb and I will never know my particular reaction. I also seem to be used to being in pain rather easily, but rather paradoxically having a higher pain threshhold.

 

[Minuet]

I'm reading many people say that noise is their biggest sensory issue, would this be an accurate generalization?
Noises obviously bother me quite a bit as well, especially when they are loud and continuous. However, I find that I am the most bothered by certain tactile sensations... There are a lot of specific textures that I can't handle, like freshly cleaned glass or certain types of paper.

Have you ever felt as though other people think you are trying to get attention or be intentionally stubborn when you have trouble with certain stimuli? One time I was in class and there was a flickering light... I was getting the worst headache and kept trying to cover my head so I wouldn't see the light, and eventually had to leave as a result of something most of my peers hardly even noticed. I had this feeling like everyone else in the room just thought I was trying to get attention.

 

[Loomis]

Other people's music most of all (especially bass),

Something I find terribly annoying is a car thumping out bass so loud you can hear it a block or more away. What is it with the people driving these cars? Are they completely dense or do they feel it is their right to impose their musical taste upon the rest of humanity?

 

[Nolan1971]

Something I find terribly annoying is a car thumping out bass so loud you can hear it a block or more away. What is it with the people driving these cars? Are they completely dense or do they feel it is their right to impose their musical taste upon the rest of humanity?

I so agree with that one! What's worse they are not listening to it at that level for their own enjoyment like most people would
but to get attention! ( Hey look at me):banghead:

 

[Ylva]

I'm reading many people say that noise is their biggest sensory issue, would this be an accurate generalization?
Noises obviously bother me quite a bit as well, especially when they are loud and continuous. However, I find that I am the most bothered by certain tactile sensations... There are a lot of specific textures that I can't handle, like freshly cleaned glass or certain types of paper.

Have you ever felt as though other people think you are trying to get attention or be intentionally stubborn when you have trouble with certain stimuli? One time I was in class and there was a flickering light... I was getting the worst headache and kept trying to cover my head so I wouldn't see the light, and eventually had to leave as a result of something most of my peers hardly even noticed. I had this feeling like everyone else in the room just thought I was trying to get attention.

Seems like a fair assessment. I never understood how anyone could bear loud noises at all. It's like having the insides of my ears getting turned into steel and hammered by miners. My instinct is to run away from it; but when I know it's "nothing", why can't I just ignore it?

It's been years and years (really no more than four or so, but whatevs) since I cared whether anyone thought I was trying to get attention. I try to control my reactions, but I refuse to feel bad about failing at it. If it is such a problem to people, let them ask, and I'll ask them (provided I have the guts to just come out and say it) how many memories they involuntarily relive on a daily basis. On second thought, it might not be such a great idea to tell people that.

What I try to do right now is figure out if and how I can control my obsessiveness. If I can focus it at will, I'll have a weapon of mass creation.

 

[Minuet]

Something I find terribly annoying is a car thumping out bass so loud you can hear it a block or more away.

Totally! Does anyone else get sick in their stomach when there is a really loud bass? I feel like it shakes my insides and makes me very queasy.

What I try to do right now is figure out if and how I can control my obsessiveness. If I can focus it at will, I'll have a weapon of mass creation.

If only we could concentrate our obsessions to something at will! Now THAT would be a super power. hahaha

 

[Shane Sugar Cane]

Ive found that relative to the average person I'm pretty sensory sensitive. My friends just think I'm weird or being a "girl." in terms of sound I just can't stand loud noises in general I often prefer the radio or television to be a few notches lower than my company.

With regards to feel, I can't stand the heat or humidity. If it's hotter than 70 outside I'll likely opt for an indoor day. I also prefer all my foods to be room temperature. So I don't refrigerate bottled waters or microwave canned soups. And it somethings completely frozen, let's say Tyson's tenders, I only microwave it about half the recommended time.

I wouldn't say I have an overly sensitive nose. But I do hate bright lights and I'd describe myself as needing a fair amount of personal space and certain materials piss me off; fleece namely.
I wouldn't say

 

[Rob]

Hi Everyone

I hate loud noises, especially loud trumpet-like blasts and train blarings. I had to cover my ears near a Kamloops railroad when a train blasted its warning sound. It felt like I was going to lose my hearing right away.
I also have a sensitive nose. It seems like my parents (78 and 85 years old respectively) have nearly lost their sense of smell. I can smell unpleasant odors that they cannot; it sickens me and I have to open the window or open the exhaust fan. The dog smells bad too, just days after going to the groomers.
When I am going to sleep, I have to plug my ears to avoid the TV being played in the late hours of the night, when I have to wake up early the next morning for work. My dad is very hard of hearing so he often has to play the TV to an often unbearable volume. I also hate salty flavours in the morning.
Now it is time to plug my ears to go to bed for tomorrow's work at our Chevron station.

Talk to you later - Rob