Do you have sensory problems?

[SimplyWandering]

I have serious sensory problems, such as with sounds and lights.

Doctor told me there was nothing they could do but prescribe meds.

I HAVE a headset (like the one you would use for a fire range ) that makes me look crazy in public.

But otherwise I can't go into loud restaurants, bars, clubs or any place where multiple conversations are going on at the same time.

Blinking lights or visual affects/fireworks make me violently ill.

How do you cope with your sensory problems?

 

[Phanelope]

I didn’t think I had any sensory issues until I did an aspie quiz which asked me questions about things I had done that I had always thought was normal.

I can’t stand light touch and I’m extremely ticklish. My husband thinks it’s funny and will lightly touch me all over to get a response even though I repeatedly tell him how much I hate it. Cotton balls make me feel like vomiting. I also don’t like hugging (except my husband and kids, but even then it can be too much at times) or shaking hands. That could be due to social anxiety though.

I struggle to hear if there is any other kind of stimulation in the room (sound, sight, smell, touch). I need subtitles on movies despite being able to hear them. If I’m in a really noisy area I can have anxiety attacks because my brain will just completely shut down and I feel detached from reality. I can’t operate a car if the radio is too loud. I also have really sensitive hearing and can hear my kids jumping on the bed on the other side of our house with all the doors closed. My ears also feel like they are under pressure all the time.

I have an unnatural fear of balloons and again my horrible family use this against me. They squeal, squeak and pop at random. Yuck! Also can’t stand brake squeals or nails on a chalkboard, but I believe those ones are common. However the sound isn’t just unpleasant it makes me feel physically ill.

I have extremely sensitive olfactory and I’m always smelling scents that people insist aren’t there.

There are certain types of lights I can’t handle that make me feel ill. They are usually found in hospitals which doesn’t help. They were also common in schools but it seems most schools have gotten rid of them now.

When I’m anxious I seek movement and pressure. I will rock, sway or bounce on my toes, or I will squeeze myself tight or wrap myself tight in a blanket.

 

[sidd851]

I have serious sensory problems, such as with sounds and lights.

Doctor told me there was nothing they could do but prescribe meds.

I HAVE a headset (like the one you would use for a fire range ) that makes me look crazy in public.

But otherwise I can't go into loud restaurants, bars, clubs or any place where multiple conversations are going on at the same time.

Blinking lights or visual affects/fireworks make me violently ill.

How do you cope with your sensory problems?

Sorry, my instinct is to help, but all I have is this...
I often times find that things are infinitely more manageable when I wear (heavily) tinted lenses.
I also find that if I wear name-brand noise-
cancelling headphones, most people don't know if I'm "jamming" or not, and I'm not looked at so much like a freak...
Just my two cents...

 

[Jane Smith]

Oh boy I have this problem. I also have it in conjunction with PTSD, so stimulation can cause me to dissociate.

I carry head phones everywhere I go and listen to music. If I don't have them, I will separate myself, go to the bathroom, and give myself a few minutes to decompress.

 

[Coupe]

I have sensory problems that actually didn't become apparent to me until the last three years or so. I do have noise-cancelling headphones (a pink pair I converted into noise-cancelling headphones by cutting off the cords and a 3M pair), yet I also feel reluctant to wear those in public lest anyone ask any prying questions. I also carry sunglasses in my bag all the time, in case I am in a place with bright lights. They're a pair that fit over the eyeglasses I wear all the time, and I consider myself fortunate to have found them.

Aside from headphones, my sensory coping strategies mostly involve stim toys and comfort items - Tangle toys, worry stones, and small stuffed animals. My favorite one is Little Dory, a Tsum Tsum plush of -you guessed it - Dory from Finding Nemo/Dory. Stuffed animals have always had this uncanny ability to calm me down or soothe me in any situation, and Little Dory is just the right size to squeeze, hold and stim with without someone noticing and making untoward comments about how I'm a grown woman who is comforted by a stuffed animal. In situations where I don't feel safe having her out and stimming with her, I have an even smaller plastic Dory Tsum (they make Tsums in both plush and plastic versions) that I use. Basically just having something with a satisfying texture to hold/manipulate in my hands helps a lot in dealing with sensory input. Besides that, I sometimes sing quietly to myself when things are too loud.

 

[Progster]

Sound - high pitched sound, sudden loud noises. Things like motorbikes, kids shrieking, car brakes - these are literally painful. I have hyperacusis. Difficulty making out speech and coping with background noise/speech, being easily startled by sudden loud noises.

Touch - don't like social touchy-feely, don't like being poked. Need to wear soft fabrics, scratchy, coarse fabric, lace or labels and seams drive me mad.

Taste - no particular sensitivity, in fact I love spicy food! Texture can be a problem, though - if I don't like the texture, I can't eat the food, no matter how tasty it is.

Lights - not a huge issue for me, but I do have the following issues: if I'm out in the sun for a long time without sunglasses, if there is a lot to take in and a lot of activity, by the end of the day, I develop a headache and sometimes feel sick. Glare is painful and difficult to tolerate. I also feel tired and need to lie down indoors. Sunglasses definitely help, I feel less stressed, too. I'm not sure if this is a sensory issue or not - could also be a migraine.

Also, I have the following issue: Some TV shows are impossible to watch because of the special effects - flashes, white screens flashed at you between shots, or flickering. It's painful - makes me feel dizzy like I have vertigo, or kind of panicky and I need to turn away. It's not just the image that gets me, also the sound that accompanies it. Not sure if this is a sensory issue, or a problem with my eye muscles being slow to react and to adjust to the sudden light change, or the quality of the light emitted by the TV or computer screen. (I don't automatically assume that what I'm experiencing is an autism-related sensory issue, I look for other possible causes too, and then rule them out).

Contrast - bright lights, especially at night. Bulb or LED lights emitting white light - can't tolerate them and need to wear sunglasses. Awful things!

 

[Tom]

What about the fit in ear earplugs? They aren't very noticeable when out in public. They get better with time. Todays fit better and don't bother the ear as much as the older ones.

 

[Judge]

Yesterday I found myself almost in a state of despair. Gone shopping only to realize how many parents were bringing their high-pitch screaming children to the stores.

I finally left prematurely in frustration to seek the comfort and quiet of home.

 

[Mr Allen]

Not really. but I do have a strong dislike of cold water, especially cold showers, would that count as a sensory issue? It comes from my school days, to be honest I don't like showers in general, but I did ask for one ar the Flat last night, as I thought it was too hot for a Bath after my MA class.

@Judge, only time I have a problem with kids is if I go swimming during the school Holidays, most of the local Pools are full of kids, so you can't really do much swimming without crashing into people.

I wouldn't mind but apart from my MA classes, swimming is the main form of exercise I do, I try to go every week (usually on a Wednesday) when I can.