What are your sensory issues?

[buckyboy14]

Just today at school, I was sitting at my desk, and a kid walks by and goes "BWAAAAH!" to me. Like always, I screamed. And like always, everybody laughed at me. Why can't people respect my sensory issues, instead of taking advantage of them?

 

[Soup]

HE'S the idiot walking around & suddenly yelling BWAAAAH!!! What sort of inarticulate dunce does that? I'd scream too. One day, he'll BWAAAH at a large & moodier Aspie & get swatted into his next life. Let the chimpanzees chitter & laugh. Your reaction made perfect sense. Walking around making BWAAAH sounds is indicative of some kind of mental imbalance. Pity the poor fool.

 

[balder]

I guess I don't have a great problem in being touched, though I don't like it and avoid it as much as I can. For those of you who complain about sudden loud noises, you wouldn't want to know a Brazilian celebration called Festas Juninas. It's just a time where people take one week off to make bonfires and throw small (and big) bombs around (including those ones that fly upwards sounding "fiuuuuuuuummmm.... BOOOOM") without rest. They used to startle me when I was younger, but not anymore. Besides that, there's the horrible smoke all over the streets.

I'm not sure what the cause really is, but whenever I go out (to city center, shopping mall, even college) I get a headache. Even my mother ? who knows nothing about my disorder ? already suggested that these environments may stress me.

The only specific sound I can think now that drives me mad is the toilet flushing (it's almost as painful as a punch in the face), but I can't remember anything about smells...

 

[imagesbyholly]

I'm looking for a thread about ways to deal with sensory overload. Anyone know if there is one?

 

[Nolan1971]

I don't like loud noises but certain frequency sounds really annoy me like the beep on the scanner on a cash register if it is set too loud it hurts my ear drums
and gives me a wicked headache or the horrible sound of a fire alarm. I can't stand any background noise including people talking when I am trying to watch tv.:stomp:
I can't multi task to save my life and I freak if asked to do so.
What I hate the most is when several people are trying to talk to me at the same time I want to tell them to shut up and wait their turn.:banghead:

 

[umbrellabeach]

Loud or repetitive noises
Too much noise at once (like at a party, too many people talking and if one person is talking to me I can't pick out their words against everyone else's)
Weird food or clothing textures

...That's all I can think of right now.

What I hate the most is when several people are trying to talk to me at the same time I want to tell them to shut up and wait their turn.:banghead:

I hate that too! I can't stand more than one person talking at once, especially to me.

 

[fjord]

What I hate the most is when several people are trying to talk to me at the same time I want to tell them to shut up and wait their turn.:banghead:

This is the worst! It happens to me all the time, since I have kids, but the funny thing is, adults frequently do this too! And my response is bewilderment (non-response), so they all keep repeating their questions/statements...

 

[Margaretha]

• people whispering in my ear - that's the worst

Where are all those ear whisperers? I don't think anyone's ever done that to me. Doubt if I would like it though. I would probably slap them like I was swating away a fly.

 

[rainbowdragon]

High pitched sounds , scraping or scrubbing noises, the sound of boxes, sound and touch if styrofoam, a later random textures, especially when it comes to clothes, anything around my neck (I actually have done weird neck problem where it feels tight and I pinch, scratch, and put something soft to make the feeling go away.), very sensitive to light, perfumes and other smells. That's all I can think of now.

 

[Liza Jane]

I'm sensitive to sunlight; I almost always wear sunglasses outside. The one time I played in a pit orchestra, I didn't use my stand-light because it hurt.

Sound/noise, especially when I am under other stress. Like a few days ago, I got my wisdom teeth out. I have had to wear earplugs ever since, most of the time. Especially at work yesterday (had to go home after three hours). I merchandise at a large store (it is usually busy on Saturdays, but especially now because Halloween is close) and whenever I heard a kid scream, I felt like punching someone. And at home, just my family members speaking in their normal loud voices, that bugs me so much I have to wear earplugs.

Usually the same sort of auditory things bug me, but to a lesser degree. I don't like hearing a lot of things at once; it's hard to tune them out. Especially at parties when there are multiple conversations going on, it is hard for me to focus on participating in just one of them. I hate it when people shout at me, or their normal speaking voices are very steely (that's hard to describe; it's sort of like when you try to do a Broadway belt, but don't use much breath support). I decided to quit studying voice mostly so I would stop judging everyone else's vocal technique. My father fancies himself a self-taught classical singer, but his technique bothers me. I've had several panic attacks in the hall of practice rooms in the music building at my university. Last semester I started practicing chiefly at my apartment so I wouldn't get panic attacks And I had a roommate who spoke very loudly. When she was talking in the kitchen and I was in my bedroom, even if I needed to leave, I just wanted to hide

I am sometimes quite sensitive to human touch. Not so much when I expect it. I have an odd reflex: whenever anyone tries to hug/tickle me from behind, I block it and hit them. When I was little, I didn't like hugs at all. With my last boyfriend, I tried to get used to touch over time and figure out all these rules for what would bother me and what wouldn't. He hated that.

 

[long_term_sufferer]

This may sound strange, but the sound that really irritates me is if I am in a public swimming pool, and everyone is screaming/shouting/talking loudly and its the echo and constant "ringing" of all the voices that sends me into a mad dash for the door. High pitch noises like house alarms going off in the distance all night really really drive me nuts! Oh...and polystyrene - I think most normal people hate that stuff though

 

[poey]

I have touch issues. Particulary if my partner is rubbing me. It feels as if my hair follicles are being attacked. On my arm, on my back, on my face. Doesn't matter. It just feels like an attack or like she's tickling me. It makes a relationship difficult because she craves intimacy and i don't.

Too much light bothers me, and i'm with y'all on more than one person talking at a time. It's gotten so bad i can't pay attention to her if she's speaking and the TV is on at the same time. I can't focus on more than one thing at a time.

Screaming kids are hard to deal with, in a public setting. Going for family get togethers where there are five little girls screaming and then babies crying leaves me catatonic after i go home.

I'm sure i have more, but it's early and i haven't had coffee yet.

 

[gouldgrl]

The sound of fireworks. (I hate the Fourth of July.)
The sound of motorcycles.
Any sudden, loud noise.
The smell of fabric softener. Or any fake scent.
Too much sunlight.
Hot, humid days of summer.

 

[buckyboy14]

Oh God, Independence Day. That is my least favorite holiday, far and away. Combine my fear of fire with extremely loud noises...please let me stay inside.

 

[Soup]

As much as I like to see brides all dressed up, I can't stand noisy wedding processions when the people in them honk their horns repeatedly & the newly wed couple have tin cans clattering along in the street behind their limo. All the horns & cans send me into a shut down.

 

[Pella]

As much as I like to see brides all dressed up, I can't stand noisy wedding processions when the people in them honk their horns repeatedly & the newly wed couple have tin cans clattering along in the street behind their limo. All the horns & cans send me into a shut down.

I love little ones in their formal wear, at my boyfriend's daughter's wedding, we were at the end to shake everyone's hand after it was over, and one of the flower girls was picking up the petals and putting them in her basket (they were fake) and when her mom asked her why she say's "I'm saving them for next time" her mom said "well aren't you thrifty." I thought it was so adorable. nothing to with stimming but weddings. That was the highlight.

 

[NoxNocturne]

I can't stand it when people are whispering; that drives me up the wall. On the other hand, I hate being in very loud environments. Yesterday was a prime example--I was in the middle of a huge crowd, and every single person was talking rather loudly. I had to go outside several times to try to get my bearings back. It was crazy.

 

[Jaymee]

I can not stand to be tickled or have my face touched! Loud noises scare the Jesus out of me! If I am INTENTIONALLY scared by a friend, I freak out and go into ninja mode lol. If I am unintenionally scared by a stranger I freeze up and sometimes cry.. weird I know! I have always had a texture disturbancy, ie, grass, bananas, strawberries, anything with a filling kind of freaks me out honestly.

 

[hojita]

It varies and I don't think I'm fully aware of all of them. Apparently I used to scream if I touched the sand at the beach when I was young. I'm over that one though.

It's mostly related to clothes. I can't wear certain socks. I can't describe them, I just know them when I see them, but the seam bothers me. I have to cut out a lot of tags on shirts. I can't wear turtlenecks or even T-shirts because I feel like they're choking me. It's either V-neck or super scoop or no go. I find myself touching everything when I'm in a store. I haven't really paid attention fully to what textures and fabrics I DO like, or even don't like. I just know it when I touch it. I base all my clothing decisions on this lol
Food textures are huge. That's a long list in itself.

Sound....weird, random sounds bother me, mostly relating to the mouth. I can't be close to people when they're eating, the sound is somehow the loudest thing ever and will make me lose it. Chewing, snapping gum, any of that.

I don't like being touched a whole lot. I hate hugs, always have. I do cuddle with my boyfriend sometimes, if only because I know he likes it. But I can only take so much before I push him away. Thankfully, he understands and doesn't take it personally. I like holding hands! But not fully hands, just one finger at a time lol

I don't know if its just me or if it's common or if it's related or unrelated(still fully discovering all this!) but I seem to have super super super sensitive skin. EVERYTHING tickles me. Everything. It means I can't really be touched without me screaming and curling into a ball. My boyfriend has been nice about it, everything is referred to as "Operation Don't Tickle Kelsey" but I think it's strange. Interesting, anyway. Again, I don't know if it even has anything to do with Asperger's.

I've found bright lights, most perfumes, "busy" patterns that other people find just fine will give me a headache.

I think the only thing that bothers me sensory wise though is the issues I have with my own body. I'm assuming that it's AS related, anyway. I am constantly aware of my body, like I can feel it. Mostly my stomach. I have to wear loose and long clothing to cover me when I move and to just not fit tightly(though I can't take tight clothing on any part of me!). I always wear baggy jeans and slouchy shirts. I have an eating disorder and I think this really plays into it; no one seems to get what I describe. It's not just always being aware of my body, it's like I can FEEL it, all the time!! It really drives me crazy :-(

 

[LikeyouToMe]

What are you sensitive to? I'm sensitive to sudden loud noise. I'm very jumpy if I hear something unexpectedly. I also dislike strong light. When I was younger I used to always switch off the lights when watching TV or playing on the games console. Now though, it's more strong sunlight that bothers me than simply a lit room.

I'm pretty light sensitive (I hate camera flashes with a passion) and I hate unexpected loud noises or people being loud for no reason. I'm or at elast used to be really tactile so being touched isn't a problem for me, to be honest, not being touched is a problem for me.