What are your sensory issues?

[Selcouth]

Hmm. I read that synesthesia is really common among autism spectrum people... does anyone else have it?

I also have bad direction perception, in that if someone calls my name, I usually have a very rough idea of where it's coming from, but that sense can easily be confused, especially if I'm concentrating, talking to someone else, or in a crowd, causing me to turn in a completely wrong direction.

Some textures, as well, especially with food, are very problematic, but thankfully they're few and very precise, like the feel of a grape's or tomato's skin sliding against my teeth, or the sliminess of an overripe banana, or any sort of corrugated or distressed texture (in material or food or anything, really.)

 

[Geordie]

Light -

Why I see your face
Moving into aerospace?
- Faster Than Light

- Duran Duran

Too much light, in too many colors, really make my head go really dizzy.

Sounds

Fear hangs a plane of gunsmoke
Drifting in our room
So easy to disturb
With a thought
With a whisper...
With a careless memory
- Careless Memories

Am I alone or is the river alive?
'Cause it echoes me, echoes me, echoes me
- Night Boat

- Duran Duran

Indeed, some sounds can really evoke intense feelings in me, so much so that before I listened to Duran Duran, I don't know why I can scream or throw myself into violent fits.

Because some things do not feel that good, I want things my own way, but the world could be operating from a different speed from where I am at.

Fortunately, after I listened to Duran Duran, I knew they might write the same stuff I went through - of course, I'm without drugs but my world is kind of out of place in my own mind (I think they were high from drug abuse in the early 80's or something)

That aside, I'm very much affected by issues of voices (loud drum music, especially poor disjointed drumming from wooden drums, which aren't looking cool or sounding cool) and light (flickering lights).

 

[arthurfakaya]

One I have noticed just recently since moving. My landlady listens to talk-back radio as she goes about the house, so it's at a reasonable volume. I simply can't tolerate it and have bought myself some earplugs rather than confront her. I've dropped hints about my sensory issues but she's not getting it - probably because she's never come across it before. Hopefully the sight of the earplugs will make her realise it's a problem. If she engages me in conversation I simply cannot do so while there is other talk distracting me. I just can't multitask in that way. If it was music it would not be such a problem. There is occasional loud noise out the front of the house from road construction, but again this doesn't bother me cos it is like white noise. Also, I like to listen to really loud music with earphones but I can't tolerate when others play loud music, partly because of the lack of consideration of playing something at a volume that is polluting to others.

 

[Jewely]

Quite a few for me: Touch, I don't like being touched by people I don't know well, and even with people I do know well, if it's unexpected, it burns. I can't touch corduroy or velvet, and I can't walk on dry sand. I also don't like slimy things or raw meat, but I'm trying to desensitize myself to it. I also have an extremely high pain threshold (ie I was quite comfortable with getting 35 stitches without any local anesthetic).

I also can't tolerate the smells of aerosol cleaners and deoderants. I can't eat cauliflower, because of the texture. I also don't like sudden loud noises, even if it's loud music if it was unexpected. Bright sunlight I can't tolerate either, I just can't open my eyes! I can hear a TV going if it's on mute anywhere in the house, and it's annoying! I also found I can't tolerate strong chemical smells like perming solutions and chemicals for nits in my hair.

 

[shoukori]

I seem to have a very strong sense of smell in some regards - I can tell if you've had a beer with your lunch 3 hours ago - but there are very few smells that really bother me or that I can't adjust to and ignore. There is a certain type of mulch though that just makes me ill to smell it...

My sensitivities are mostly touch and a bit of sound, but the sounds are the ones that correspond to the textures I can't stand, so i think they're related. I really hate when people touch me unexpectedly but I wouldn't say it feels like it burns, as some on the forum have said. It just sort of startles me very strongly and I want to run away from it. There are certain types of plastics I simply can't stand, they literally make me shudder just thinking about them - fast food drink cup lids and straws are one, I can use them, but if I touch the edge of the plastic it really, really affects me. Also some stronger plastics, if they have an edge like that - and the sounds they make when you drop them on the floor or just hit them a certain way. I can't eat certain foods because of texture - tomatoes, shrimp, avocado, mayo, a few others. Also, fluttery things touching me like moths just really freaks me out.

there are also certain visual patterns I really have trouble looking at, but they are hard to describe. I don't encounter them too often but when I do it makes my skin crawl, and feels like my brain is just repulsed for some reason. I'm ok with bright light though, which seems to be a common issue.

on the flipside, I really, really like to touch soft fabrics and can be a very annoying person to walk through a clothing store if there is a large selection of fleecey things on sale. Most of my issues both good and bad seem to be tactile.

 

[Cerulean]

Quite a few for me: Touch, I don't like being touched by people I don't know well, and even with people I do know well, if it's unexpected, it burns. I can't touch corduroy or velvet, and I can't walk on dry sand.

I have some fabric ones too, anything that's supposed to be like a microfiber or the fast-drying car wash towels just feel like sandpaper. Dry sand isn't much better, but that extends for me to all kinds of powdered stuff, like flour and baking soda too. Ugh.

 

[Soup]

I know how you feel about velvet: one way it is smooth but rub it even slightly in the opposite direction & something really gross happens: it morphs! EEEEWWWW! Fabrics with a nap do this then the colour looks funny when you turn it around & the light hits it. Too complicated & too weird.

 

[Ovrthkr817]

I'm very sensitive to touch, the lightest touch bothers me immensely. I also don't like surprises. Don't walk quietly around me and then call out my name. I will jump out of my seat. I also don't like thunder storms. The unexpected lightning, and depending on how near or far the storm is, you never really know how soon after the thunder will follow. But I'm mostly bothered by the lightning.

 

[ravendragonwing]

I have the touch sensitivity too, cannot stand micro-fiber (feels like it is sticking to my hands), velvet, chalk, cardboard, when sweatshirts pill....there are probably others....
I also have some sound sensitivity, alarms and noises like hissing set me on edge...
Food: cilantro, and any vegetable containing Phenylthiocarbamides, fish, and mushrooms (slimy and crunchy, blah)
suddenly going into bright sunlight makes me sneeze, but I prefer it to fluorescents.
I do ok with odors.....

 

[Soup]

@ravendragonwing:

Micro-fiber is awful stuff & it DOES stick to finger ridges. Chalk comes off all over your hands & makes an irritating sound. Always choose sweatshirts made of high quality 100% cotton fleece or a blend with hemp or bamboo. Those ones don't pill: use a natural fabric softener for further anti-pill insurance.
Sudden change from cool to hot (esp if humid too) causes little bumps that burn & itch to immediately erupt all over my skin: like torture!
fluorescents can literally make me sick to where I faint!

 

[Bay]

I have had the same problem with fluorescent lights, Soup. They can make me feel very lightheaded, like I am going to pass out. I can have panic attacks from them too, where I hyperventilate and have to run outside. I have had complete strangers see me and come running to me in a store, who have kindly helped me to get outside where I can get some air, away from the fluorescent lights. I must look terrible when it is happening. Come to think of it, it is worst in stores, perhaps because of all the other stimuli around, the muzak, the people, the colors and signs, etc. Makes me nervous just thinking about it. I avoid malls whenever possible.

 

[Soup]

@Bay: Don't get me started on malls! Mall air ia is REAL!!! Between the lights, the recycled air, the muzak & the weird chemicals they use to clean the place, its a toxic environment. If I absolutely must visit a mall, I park as close to the store I need to go to, choose a time when there are few people, run in & run out ninja style.

 

[smith2267]

What about sensory stimulii we like? It might not be an aspie thing but I enjoy some strange smells. Like cat breath or a horse barn.

 

[Jewely]

I have some fabric ones too, anything that's supposed to be like a microfiber or the fast-drying car wash towels just feel like sandpaper. Dry sand isn't much better, but that extends for me to all kinds of powdered stuff, like flour and baking soda too. Ugh.

Me too!

 

[Bay]

What about sensory stimulii we like? It might not be an aspie thing but I enjoy some strange smells. Like cat breath or a horse barn.

I love the feel of a nice, warm, up-to-my-neck bath. It makes all of the evil things go away.

 

[Soup]

That's exactly what I do too, Bay! Some sea salt, some essential oils & I could LIVE in the hot salty water. I also love the warm feeling of a clean soft sleeping dog. Having freshly clean shampooed hair. The smell of a new box of Crayola crayons, the smell, texture & taste of spaghetti & meatballs!

 

[ravendragonwing]

@Soup
I so love the smell of a brand new box of Crayola crayons, but only Crayola crayons

I also love the smell of dirt and pine trees
I also love to watch flames dance

 

[Cerulean]

I had an extremely confusing experience the other day where I couldn't tell if something I was smelling was a skunk (bad), because it also smelled like when I chew mint leaves (good) and my brain couldn't figure out what it was. So I might like how dead skunks smell now, I'm not sure. I hope not. Very strange.

 

[smith2267]

I also love to watch flames dance

OMG. Me too. and moving water. When i was an undergrad, there was a little bar I went to after exams that had a table high fireplace. I would order a pizza and some beer and watch the fire for a few hours.

And yesterday I was holding a hot spoon and didn't know it. I felt discomfort, but it took awhile to figure out why.

 

[smith2267]

I had an extremely confusing experience the other day where I couldn't tell if something I was smelling was a skunk (bad), because it also smelled like when I chew mint leaves (good) and my brain couldn't figure out what it was. So I might like how dead skunks smell now, I'm not sure. I hope not. Very strange.

Yeah some component of skunk is also in some good things, i'm certain of it.