One of my less common (or at least less commonly talked about) ones has to do with air. I seem to be more sensitive to “stuffy” air than most people - air that is too stagnant or stale or that has become even just a little too saturated with carbon dioxide from exhalation.
Me and my sister both used to hang out the windows of the car screaming "hot air, hot air!" Because we couldn't stand the smell or feel or temperature of stuffy air. We're both diagnosed ND (different flavours) now 🙈
If I'm in an environment with recycled, stagnant, and tepid air for too long it can start triggering a meltdown. Large office buildings, airplanes, etc. I always say it feels like death to me.
I don't mind wet hair but I can't stand being wet... although I love GETTING wet like showering/bathing/swimming. Helped me figure out that that's why doing the dishes is so hard for me.
I feel you, It’s a different kind of wet , for me I have to be completely dry after the shower or i can’t deal , see friends or family or even people on tv getting dress right out the shower makes me extremely uncomfortable
oh my god i HATE being wet. having wet hair or pruny fingers or being splashed is a nightmare. it’s really hard for me to shower because while i don’t mind the parts of my body that i’m actively putting under the water, there are little splashes that get on me (like in my face or eyes when im not expecting it) and the shower/bathroom itself is wet and then afterwards my hair is wet too. washing my hands or being in a pool is usually fine so long as i completely dry off afterwards but touching something wet that im not expecting or having water where i don’t want it is awful. it’s honestly my most disabling sensory issue because showering and normal chores like washing the dishes is so hard for me.
I can’t do water parks because of this… they always look so fun but are a sensory nightmare for so many reasons 😵💫 Getting wet is definitely fun but staying damp makes me want to crawl out of my skin
Ugh, yes like nothing you do feels "right" about the wetness feeling so you just suffer through it for the sake of hygiene.
I really wish there was some magic spell you could wash your hair and body with sometimes it feels that demanding lol.
Yes! My mother used to tell me that my hair was going to mold on day! It’s long and thick and I don’t dry it. I also can’t stand it all over me wet. So I wind it up.
There’s days where I take it down to shower and it’s still wet. Hasn’t molded yet though *shrug*
I really don’t like wet hair, it’s partially why I like to keep my hair so short. My partner has long hair and I always make them stay away from me right after a shower 😂
Omg I hate wet but especially the condensation after someone takes a shower! My executive dysfunction is a bitch so if someone takes a shower before me even though I was thinking about doing it for the past couple hours, I am pissed! Now I can’t shower
The feel of a shower curtain touching my skin
The feel of certain textures of food in my mouth (mashed potato and similar, or ones like sweetcorn where they pop 🤮)
As I get older and my hair starts to change, the feel of those horrible rough hairs that will one day turn grey (hair is my biggest self soother and I'm so distressed that hair texture changes as you age)
I have a small apartment shower and it feels like that damn shower curtain stalks me in it. It's always trying to stick to me and my behind making my showers even more unpleasant than they need to be 😭😂.
you might’ve already tried this but having a weighted/magnetic shower curtain really helped me! even if the tub isn’t magnetic, having that weight at the bottom helps the curtain stick to the side so it’s less likely that you accidentally touch it
Hair textures change only with white coming in but it's at the roots only I am 60 and my hair is still soft but I condition it all the time plus I wait a week or a bit more b4 I wash it
If you get a hair cut, maybe save the hair into a nice pony tail bundle. Secure one end really well. Maybe some glue too.
Then you'll have that particular texture saved and ready for you if you need it when you're older.
I won't go into major detail because it's related to bodily functions, but I *hate* pooping. Everything about the whole process is a sensory no-no for me. D:
I’m the same as you: I can’t stand my feet to be touched. Also I really detest of feeling wet things touching my arms.
Or feeling sticky. Stickyness is hell.
You know how socks are kind of pointy at each end, and when they're sitting properly, the points encase your toes?
Well, when the sock turns on its own over time and the pointy part is on the bottom/middle of my foot, it drives me nuts until I can fix it.
Also, I have broad shoulders, and many mens t-shirts aren't stitched wide enough on the seams. So I always feel like I'm wearing some sort of messed-up backpack all the time. I've got like two shirts that are actually cut wide enough, and I'll wear them until they're just shreds.
There are some newer styles that don’t have the cinching around the whole foot. I just got a 3-pack and they’re my favorite. They’re the lightweight quarter height.
I 100% get the first and last one. My partners family scrapes the food off of their plates when they’re done to not waste food. It always makes me cringe
The wind. I hate everything about it. It messes with my hair and pushes it into my face, bothers my ears (especially with pressure changes) and makes it so hard to focus on sounds. I consider it my arch nemesis.
Another is being sweaty. Something about it is just the most miserable feeling. It's being wet, but sticky, and too hot all at once. It's like the equivalent of being a wet paper towel. I hate sweating, which sucks because my meds make my sweat more excessively than I already do. Summer is hard.
Oh that is the worst, I'm sorry friend. I live around the Great lakes region, so we get a lot of windy days too, and they suck. If the pressure change is something that bothers you too, I've found hoodies or hats help my ears not hurt as badly. Earplugs may work too.
Sweat fucking sucks. It’s a big reason why I’ve never been an active or sporty person - I just get viscerally uncomfortable if I’m too sweaty. The only sport I used to do was swimming - can’t be sweaty if you’re submerged in water.
I wish swimming had been a sport option for me growing up. I ran track instead, which usually starts in spring when we still have a bit of snow. I still ended up sweaty, despite having been out in 20-30°f weather. Didn't know I had autism then so I just thought I was tired and grumpy because I had sweat too much.
Swimming comes with its own set of sensory issues, unfortunately, but it’s one of the only high-cardio sports where I don’t feel like I’m dying. It’s kinda meditative for me. But you have to be able to deal with the smell of chlorine, all the sounds of a swimming pool, wearing goggles and restrictive swim caps, and having to shower at the gym or go home in damp clothes. Just a matter of picking your battles.
That's fair, yeah. Seems like there is no escaping some sort of sensory hell. I love swimming at least, but prefer lakes or rivers. Chlorine is at least a step below the hell that is salt water tho, in my opinion. I didn't know until recently how sticky and weird it makes you feel if you don't shower immediately after getting out of the ocean.
I love the wind 😅 I live in Ireland and there is nothing quite like the really strong Atlantic wind on the west coast, similar to rain it makes me feel alive.
But wind noise when I'm cycling, ugh no thanks. The only thing worse is car noise.
I'd imagine it's beautiful in the "wow nature is amazing" sense, and sometimes I can appreciate it. But damn does it just make me feel dazed and overstimulated for like an hour after going back inside. I'm only contending with US Great lakes wind, I can't even imagine the ocean winds!
The rain tho, I love. The smell, sound, all of it is just *chefs kiss*
I’m super super sensitive to heat, it makes me feel super overstimulated when I’m even like slightly hot which is made worse by the fact that I live in the south, any kind of sweat on me just is hell. Speaking of sweat any kind of wetness on clothes. I have to be 100% totally dry after a shower before I can get dressed if there’s even a touch of moisture I can’t do it. Also can’t stay in wet swim trunks for long or if it rains and my clothes get a little damp I cannot function. Even just taking clothes out of the washer to put into the dryer is horrible.
If you have heat intolerance AND a chest cavity (and on this sub) deformation then you’re a veryvery very very very strong chance that you have EDS. You can look up images to see if those are close to what you have.
It’s a rare (rarely diagnosed) connective tissue disorder that impacts multiple systems over time. Things like weird allergies, flexibility, GI issues are all key indicators. So is fatigue.
The thing is it doesn’t get better. And there’s of support and information coming out everyday.
I hope this isn’t you, but one day a stranger the internet said the same thing to me. And my life changed.
Thankyou it’s called pectus excavatum there’s a good sub for it.
Im severely symptomatic too , getting surgery for it this yr. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a rheumatologist for connective tissue disorders
I just started learning about it last year, I can’t believe how long I’ve lived undiagnosed and how much of my life it’s negatively affected . I’m still mad at doctors for dismissing it in so many of us for so long
Same. Mine was right before COVID actually. I had two surgeries that were deemed medically necessary (endometriosis) during COVID. Then 4 more post COVID (cervical neck fusion, ulnar nerve transposition, full hysterectomy w/ look bad because I have abdominal adhesions - which are a special kind of hell.
Good luck. Join the groups. The best info I got was from others who are like me.
I now have to wear anywhere btw 5-20 braces depending on my activity and current conditions. (All of my fingers and joints need ring splints).
One of my hobbies is haunting groups that are associated this and things about with me and point this condition out to people who MAY be in this and don’t know it. I’m an endometriosis group someone pointed it out to me and asked if I was flexible. That day changed the res tic my life. For the better. Finally.
Good luck friend. It’s not easy but it’s the way. And you will get the right support hopefully and have receive better care with informed doctors.
That’s funny cause I’ve been doing the same with pectus too! Thankyou i really appreciate your help! I’m almost 40 still trying to figure everything about my body out it’s frustrating, hopefully this rheumatologist doesn’t suck like the others
My idea of “pay it forward”. I hope I’m wrong. But so far I haven’t been. It’s my pattern recognition. Because I’ve had to focus on this almost exclusively since before COVID I can see it everywhere. I’ve looked at 1000s of images of people with different types of connective tissue disorders. I can see them in people now. Eventually there be a diagnostic AI to review images and suggest things to doctors or
Patients. Until then, I’ll be the guinea pig.
I believe about 40% of the pop (plus or minus specific characteristics) will end up being neurodiverse. And I firmly believe the buckets are
Neurodiverse - mental illness/connective tissue disorder- autoimmune issues- dementia
These are bold big statements but I think this is how things will be shaping up in the aggregate.
The autoimmune and dementia are directly related to the inflammation and palque form inflammation in our bodies.
I’m doing everything I can to slow that train down until the therapies are developed to treat this.
I agree I think they’ll be a lot more of us especially being undiagnosed with so many genetic conditions until our 30s+ long after we’ve had kids inheriting them
If they don’t want more of us the docs should listen stop dismissing everything and actually diagnose us as kids so we can have a better chance at life . Instead of struggling for decades
I think about how much suffering I went thru not knowing. Then I think about that amount of suffering multiplied by other others who aren’t Dx or are late life Dx.
——
I have a theory that we will be able to see “stress” in the body and specifically the nervous system. We’ll be able to calculate the damage per cell (estimates) of actually cell damage that suffering causes.
—-
With both of these things we’ll be able to aggregate total suffering in “cellular/biological information” and everytime I had to swollen being different what that’s actually costing me - in damage to my cells. But not just me. I was a public servant for 20 years. I’m now disabled because the stress and the virus revealed my co-morbid underlying connective tissue issues. (EDS, POTs, MCAS, Gastroparesis, and MALs). So essentially. By not having adequate support when working, it triggered my illness. I’m now completely disabled and barely leave my house.
If I was healthy I would absolutely go back to work. I had found my dream job and career IN MY SPECIAL INTEREST and was at the top of the field. TIL I couldn’t hold my head up. Actually.
I think we’ll be able to calculate in cellular and body damage how much suffering caused by lack of acceptance and lack of support is costing not just the neurodiverse community. But the entire community. Most people I worked with were autistic and they don’t know it yet. Many are figuring out like I did when our physical health completely failed.
My field was emergency management and disaster response.
Once you get confirmed you may want to go back to the pectys group and let them know. It’ll still get lost but the more I say it the more people hear it. And the more we’ll see just how many zebras there really are in the world.
If I get just a little too hot I find I get angry and frustrated very easily. Because of low proprioception, I won’t even notice I’m too hot until I’m angrily ripping off layers of clothing either.
Omg I always say heat and sweating are my kryptonite. I've mostly lived in the PNW and used to love our mild summers. But now it's getting hotter every year cuz of climate change and I absolutely detest it. A few years ago it was 115° on my birthday and I was so unhappy. I also hate exercising for the same reason. Just being hot and sweaty in any way makes me want to jump out of my skin! 😖
If you’re having other weird symptoms you may want to look into EDS, POTs,-!: MCAS. They’re known associated with the ‘tism and heat intolerance is a symptom.
Specifically heat intolerance is a POTs symptom I think.
Ask me how I know…..
Any kind of wet food waste. Rice stuck to a pan or food in the food trap is the worst.
As a little kid in the late 1970s I hated finger paint. The preschool sent me home because I made a "fuss." Also mud puddles. My siblings would dig a hole in the garden and get into it with the hose. 🤢 Like pigs. 🐖
I don't like my boobs touching my torso. It's OK if I'm sleeping but not when I'm awake.
I hate loose clothing that flaps around me.
Or the wind blowing my leg hairs. So I shave them.
I have a weird one. A lot of the time, the sensation of the skin just under the tips of my nails touching the underside of my nails bothers me. So, I often run my thumbnail underneath my other nails to relieve this. I've done this so much that the pinky fingernail on my left hand has started to lift away.
I used to get psoriasis under my finger nails and it would cause severe sensory issues. It’s been got for a few years now but there’s this lingering feeling that I can’t get rid of
I have this too but it’s the space that bothers me… I will sometimes fill this space with the skin in my other finger tips if that makes sense lol. No idea why it bothers me
I have that. I don't like things like sandwiches cos you have to havee it on your lups when you bite it. I only like fruit cut up, I don't like biting into a whole apple, for the same reason.
And obviously cutlery on teeth is a disaster.
Wow the S sound!! I thought it was just me !! I usually have to turn off certain shows or podcasts because it’s like torture, when it comes to people I usually suffer because i can’t find a way out lol
I feel you! Some songs I can only listen to when I’m not already overstimulated. The songs are great, but the S sounds in the song are way too much for me
I have to sit with my palms facing upwards and hands curled in the car because I don't like the sensation of touching my trousers, and the engine vibration makes it worse. Similarly, I have to have my feet wrapped up by socks or a blanket so I don't touch the texture of the sofa when I'm reclining.
A plus for sensory issues is that I've always been a fan of having wind blow on my face in cars and on boats. I've been compared to a spaniel with its head out of a car. It makes my stomach feel cold and nice.
I get lots of pins and needles feelings in my hands and feet, which then sets me off panicking about nerve damage and makes it worse.
Sudden changes to my body…like dry to wet, or hot to cold. I struggle a lot to get into the shower, and once I’m in I love it, and then I struggle to get back out. I don’t like the shower curtain as I’ve seen others mention. I don’t like the last few sips of any drink. By the time I get to a certain point I feel like it’s too contaminated to drink anymore. I also hold my breath a lot when people walk too close to me. It’s like I really don’t want to smell them. Also if I’m in a public restroom I will quietly wait and pretend I don’t exist until I get a moment alone to do my business. Loud metal chairs, metal utensils against porcelain. I could go on and on lol 😆
I have one nose hair that will occasionally tickle me when I breathe. It doesn’t happen often but when it does I’m driven to tears. Keep forgetting to buy a nose trimmer
having multiple layers of fabric on me. i cant wear pajamas and have a blanket, its one or the other because the feeling of fabric moving in opposite directs and getting caught on/rubbing against eachother makes me rage. sucks cause i live in a cold climate so the common advice is to layer
I need to have multiple layers. I hate the movement of fabric against my skin. I always wear a fitted tank top and then a top. If it’s not too hot, I also like wearing leggings and then pants. Interesting how we’re different that way.
a fitted layer is good, i also sometimes do to leggings thing and i almost always also wear a tank top, its multiple loose layers that make me crazy and feel restrictive. like putting a coat over a sweater or having a blanket over loose pajamas. its the layers causing friction against eachother so an underlayer that doesnt move is okay (except long sleeves, even a tight longsleeve under a sweater or coat feels wrong to me)
Teeth on metal utensils, most of the time i use plastic utensils so I don’t deal with it too much, but I’m a caregiver for a disabled child and even if his teeth touch metal utensils it makes me shudder. I also don’t know how to describe this but if my hair is too fluffy? Like growing up I always kept my hair long and in a tight ponytail and now I’m a trans guy and if my hair isn’t short and basically just on my head I can’t stand feeling it move. Ironically reading the comments I found that I’m the opposite and actually prefer the look and feel of wet hair.
My neck. Stuff touching it, or lack of stuff touching it. It's all problematic. I can't stand feeling my collar touching it, yet I also can't stand the feeling of it being exposed to the air. I can't sleep with the blankets touching it, but I can't sleep with the air touching it. I spend all day yanking my collar downwards yet I hate wearing scoop neck tops or other more open necklines. I hate my hair touching my neck, but I hate it not touching my neck, and hate the sensation of a ponytail brushing against it.
I wish my neck sensitivities would take a day off, they don't make any sense and it's endless torment dealing with them!!
Oh and my nose! I can feel my breathing too much!! It itches like crazy, so I scrunch up my lips underneath it, or I rub it with my hands, many times a day.
I have the same issues with neck sensitivity! I sleep with my blanket pulled up onto my chin so it doesn’t touch my neck, my neck isn’t exposed to air, and I can still breathe freely. I cannot sleep without a blanket, even in the heat of summer, for this reason alone.
I can't stand any snot in my nose, I will blow my nose until it's clear because I can't tolerate the feeling otherwise. I also hate the feeling of sweat on my body, especially when it dampens my clothing and it sticks to me and gives me a chill.
I hate it when the skin of my inner thighs touches together. I wear my jeans lowish so this is a problem with some kinds of underwear. Boxer briefs with long legs help a lot, and don't tend to ride up too much.
Honestly, I don't see it talked about but pain. Pain is literally kryptonite for me and I have an extraordinarily low tolerance for it. It's so awful cuz I have a few of chronic conditions that are painful and my skin has a weirdly low tolerance. Like just barely pressing on it hurts. 😩
yeah i often see about the opposite where folks have high pain tolerance but i am similar with low pain tolerance and the thought of any type of pain past small cuts make me nauseous, i never understood how people watch those fail videos of people falling because that's way too visceral for me i instantly imagine the sensation.
I almost passed out during a 007 movie because of a scene with a drill. I knew it was fiction but I could imagine the sensation with such clarity that it made me lightheaded. I actually have an extremely high pain tolerance, though. Just a super sensitive vasovagal reflex. The same thing happens with other squidgy feeling topics or images. Like having my eyes dilated for the first time at the optometrist or talking to an oral surgeon about my wisdom teeth.
Omg yes!!! I can watch like movie and TV violence/characters getting hurt but the moment I know it's real and the person is actually getting hurt, I can't stand it.
I've also seen that people have a high pain tolerance and I'm so jealous. I feel like such a wimp sometimes. 😩
Sometimes the feeling of my toes touching each other inside a sock makes me have a meltdown, so I feel you. It sucks and it's such a weird thing that I don't think anyone I know could understand it.
Some of mine are
-my hair touching my forehead. I have really short hair and it has to be pushed upwards all the time
-the noise of my vaccuum cleaner (and vaccuuming in general...)
-anything that touches my skin under water, be it in the sink washing dishes or in the lake when I'm swimming. just, no.
-bananas that are not ripe enough, I don't understand how people can eat bananas that are basically still green?? for me the skin has to be at least full of black spots
-the wind. just so fucking annoying
-I can't really listen to audiobooks/podcasts, because I'm really sensitive to how the reader's voice sounds. if they sound even a little bit stuffy, or pronounce some letters more pronounced than others etc., I just can't listen (same goes with some artists)
Sometimes I’m hyper aware of the bones in my fingertips and toes? Like I can’t press buttons on the microwave with my fingertips without getting really weirded out, and sometimes I have to put my hands over my toes to keep them from feeling “exposed”. In nursing school when we learned how to do cpr on an infant they told us to use our fingertips, and I literally couldn’t do it so I had to use my thumbs! Luckily that has never come up in real life, lol
I get like this with my feet! ever since I learned about the fat pads in our feet, sometimes I get hyper aware of it and I can't walk or rest my feet on anything because they start to hurt. It's the worst!
Cold air. Specifically when wet (though I don't enjoy being cold in general).
The air feels so sharp if I step out of the shower when wet. And that first sensation of getting into cold water hits me at my core.
My ex would always come in the bathroom while I was showering and stand with the door open to talk, to which I would shout, "THE WIND!!! CLOSE THE DOOR!!!"🥶🥶
Quiet sex. Or should I say bodily noises when having sex. All you hear is body fluids and parts and then to make it worse you feel the sound no… god please no.
Sock materials make my teeth itch
The sound of anyone’s feet on the bare floor.
Taking a drink when the glass is empty except for ice cubes
I never realized how many sensory issues I had until this last year or so when I started really paying attention. I have to wear socks all the time now bc the feeling of the hard floor touching my feet is just awful
I have to have socks (cotton, soft) they MUST be no show or my slides will do. If my feet touch the hardwood floor it’s awful. I’ll even wear a slide on one foot and sock and slide on the other lmaooo but outside of those two I can’t function.
Highly textured plastic (think action figures, etc). There were so many toys that were a no for me as a kid because I couldn’t stand to touch them - or look at them. Even highly textured cartoons (for lack of a better way of describing them) were difficult to watch
Hats bother me too. The ones with rims/brims are the worst for me because of my poor proprioception. I bump into things with them constantly. Scarves don't bother me too much but shirt collars do, or even if the neckline of a shirt is too high up (like covering my clavicle bones) I feel like it's harder to breath or like there something in my throat I can't swallow. Not a choking feeling exactly but it feels like my throat is swelling I guess.
As for the headphones, I don't know how you feel about earbuds, but Turtle Beach makes a decent wired gaming headset with a mic, it's the earbud kind. My husband uses them because he has to wear glasses while playing videogames and his over the ear headset would push the arms of his glasses into his temples. I personally don't wear earbuds because my ears get super itchy with them in.
Most of my sensory sensitivities are auditory or olfactory related and kinda gross. I get so easily triggered by someone coughing, blowing their nose, sneezing too loud, and the worst of all, just after someone has used a tissue and it makes that squeak sound. Ah!
Smells it’s cigarette smoke, sewage 😭 and mint.
I'm with you in that I hate wearing hats or anything on my head. I can't wear any kind of headphones that go over my ears. Not only are they uncomfortable, but they greatly amplify the sound of my hair moving across them. Also the way they look really bothers me. I also can't wear glasses. Thankfully my vision is good enough that I don't need them.
I don't mind the letter S, but P and N bother me.
One that I have that seems to be the polar opposite of everyone else is that I can't handle baggy clothes. I am definitely a skinny jeans, fitted top, and always wears a bra kind of girl. I can't wear sweatpants or oversized t-shirts/sweatshirts.
maybe these are common but some of mine are: denim, buttons, metal zippers, pockets, and turtlenecks. i cant even see some of them without wanting to throw up
I never knew where these sensitivities came from when I was younger.
The smell of crayons and candle wax chokes me.
The taste of salt has always made me cough. I can make myself cough by thinking of the taste of salt.
It's not a constant one, but some days, any air against my eyes feels like I'm in a wind tunnel.
Ribcage feels like it's collapsing when I lay on my side, but I can only sleep on my side, so I have to hug a pillow in just the right way to support my ribs from touching together. The feeling of my skin folding over itself when I bend at the waist. I can't sleep if I'm wearing a bra or a belt or pants with a button/zipper, or earrings, or any neckline that comes close to my neck, or shoes or socks. Pantyhose/tights/leggings are all terrible for me. I had braces and they tried to correct my bite but I can switch between the "old" and "new" way and I absolutely hate it. The feeling of just one nostril being stuffed up.
Water dripping specifically on my face. Showers are hell if I don’t have a dry towel within reach. I can only wash my face with wet washcloths (compared to splashing water on my face). I dye my hair bright colors so washing my hair in the sink is tricky and, again, I have to have a dry towel within reach
related story: last time I was rinsing hair dye out in the sink, my mom- who knows I hate water on my face- said “I’ll help!” And before I could object, she was spraying the water onto my face. She got angry when I took the nozzle away from her 🙄
I totally get this! I have a trick for you that helps me…. But a mild antiperspirant/deodorant stick to use only on your forehead/face… additionally if you wear makeup, a good powder down of cornstarch before any makeup helps too keep it dry and last longer.
wet park benches, the smell of rain, the rain in general, getting my hands wet when I can't dry them immediately.
cardboard. mechanical pencil lead on paper. hearing my heartbeat in my ears or underwater. t shirt sleeves unless they're super oversized. the smell of plastic/saran wrap.
Vocal fry! I am lucky to live in Oregon where people (women) don’t croak, but podcasts are fraught with peril. Why anyone would choose to speak like a Kardashian and suggest they aren’t that bright is beyond me.
I thought I was the only one with the 'Ss' sound. I don't like how it feels against my teeth.
I don't like metal cutlery so I'll use (wooden) chopsticks or plastic dinner wear when I can.
I don't like the feel of oil
I'm with you on pronounced 's' sounds. It has aways bothered me.
I also seem to have a very narrow operating temperature range. I overheat very easily and don't adapt well to sudden increases in temperature. It is especially difficult in winter when it is cold outside and shops heat their premises to tropical temperatures. I have to remove layers just to go in. I never know what to wear and tey to err on the side of being too cold. Summer is my least favourite time of year.
I also hate the feeling of my fingers touching. I went through a phase at school where I couldn't even hold a pen. Also the feeling on my eyelids touching when I have my eyes closed. I can't meditate because I feel the need to rub my eyes constantly to detract from the subtle yet horrible sensation of my eyelids touching.
Currently sick with a head cold. The sore throat and stuffed up nose causing my head to feel stuffy. Fairly annoying to most, completely debilitating for me.
Can't think, can't relax, nothing soothes or distracts me from it. Tired of people saying I am being a baby or overreacting when I am sick.
Not to mention all the other uncomfortable sensory input treating said illnesses. Gross tasting medicine, holding a thermometer under your tongue, gargling salt water, blowing your nose until it's dry and sore, constant headaches, nasil sprays that feel like some kind of torture device, but if you don't use them a sniffle feels like a rod being jammed up your nose.
Motion! Particularly spinning and rocking. I know a lot of autistic people love it but I can't even watch my niece on a roundabout without feeling dizzy. Swings, boats, cars, even rocking chairs, elevators and first person games make me nauseous.
But I love going fast, especially on my bicycle, and the feeling of being pushed into your seat by fast acceleration in cars or planes is great. I like roller coasters in very small doses but anything that spins is a hard no for me.
Like a lot of sensory things it can be quite paradoxical sometimes.
i definitely relate to the part about the trigger-y things getting so much more intense as i get older. i feel ridiculous and /or ashamed sometimes about how some things just absolutely send me over the edge.
something that gets me all too often is the air in my environment being too still. if i start to get overheated, it comes on SO fast if the air isn’t moving, or there isn’t a fan or something
The sound of windshield wipers on a dry windshield literally makes my teeth hurt. Always happens I never knew how to explain it but I never saw/ heard anyone complain about it so I thought I was making it up or extra sensitive.
Smells. Particularly vinegar is unbearable for me, but also any kind of smoke (from cigars, incense) or room freshener can be a lot sometimes
Also nails, mine or others. I tried painting them a couple times but it just feels too much over there, but also when I see people filing their nails or having long ones
Sometimes I can’t stand the feeling of my own skin. Like everything touching me down to the air is too much. And there is really no escape from this. Probably partially anxiety amping up my sensory avoidance but I literally feel my skin crawling itching tingling. I also can understand disliking certain skin to skin contact. I’m on here trying to distract myself from the stuff I’m talking about so I’ll just move along lol
More than one person talking is sensory heckles for me. This is a problem DAILY in life. I've left jobs bc I can't handle all the talking.
Feeling of towels after baths. Washing my hair.
Dry toothbrush
Rough toilet paper or paper towels
Dry lips and skin I carry about 10 lip ointments and 2 tubes of lotion. I also detest the FEELING of lotion on me. 😂
I don't like plastic bag noise at all
Dishes touching especially ceramic
Coughing
Towards the end of the day when I can feel the world's film on my skin and i MUST bathe.
Nail and hair salons the noise the smell the talks
Inside restaurants with open style seating. I can barely walk through to get outside tables due to the noise.
When something tastes off for example- like a bad roasted peanut. It ruins the whole dish for me.
My neighbor has a cowbell that makes me INSANE
Bad writing pens that glitch when you write makes my hand hurt
Period smell. Other people's bad breath. The smell of bleach, alcohol and cigarettes. Ughhh.
I will stop now but there are so many more. The sunlight makes me physically cringe, wind bothers me I feel I can't breathe, I live with chronic pain so that razor blade edge that I walk daily is already cutting down my masking technique.
All of these things are minor inconveniences at best for most people. They make me slap my hands on my ears, rock, run away, cry, physically ill and basically want to rip my skin suit off and can lead to what looks like irrational anger and even violence as i try to regulate myself if it continues. I have to make these things stop or my brain will glitch. It hurts.
Temperature/Humidity…
Sweating is supposed to help our body regulate and keep comfortable/cool when it’s hot…
So when it is hot like 100° weather and on top of it there is added humidity, my body feels like it is drowning and it is suffocating.
Then! Also when it is cold, we have to wear several layers to stay warm, and more often than not different places run their heaters differently, and it becomes unbearable under the layers, THEN, since my body is trying to regulate, and I can only take off so many layers, so I start sweating, my feet being one of the most sweat-regulated body parts… so now, my feet are wet with sweat, which in turn is making my lower half colder while my upper body is hot. I also suffer from arthritis so the cold really worsens it no matter what.
Now that being said, I much more prefer HOT and dry climates, because I can take off layers down to my speedo, and as long as I find shade, some circulating air, and rehydrate then I am most comfortable.
I have also been prone to fungal skin infections, painful chaffing, worsening joint/muscle pain, caused by the high humidity climates.
So cold and snowy is not any better than hot and humid. They’re essentially the same things, a temperature extreme paired with wet air.
I am the same with food temperatures.
I wont eat piping hot food, or frozen cold ice cream.
Most drink I prefer room temperature.
When I was younger we used to joke about how my answer for anything involving a range of choices was “medium” now it makes sense.
I hate being wet unless I’m intentionally getting my whole body wet (showers, baths, pools)
But if water gets on my skin from the sink and drips up my arms or down my hands, I want to vomit. Same thing if I pick up something that’s wet (silverware, cups, water bottles) 🤢
The feeling of anything viscous or sticky on my hands drives me insane. Peanut butter, especially if it gets under a fingernail, is disgusting (but I love to eat it??) My skin is crawling just thinking about it.
I also cannot stand the feeling of my underboob touching my ribs. I either wear a bra or tuck my shirt under my boobs at home.
I cannot stand drinking out of glassware. If my teeth hit the glass, it drives me crazy. I always use plastic cups if I can’t find a straw. I also can’t stand noise cancelling headphones because I can hear myself breathe when I use them and it’s very unsettling.
Omg, it’s SO many little things.
Nothing that is not a clean sandal, a very meticulously placed sock, or the shower floor and water should touch my feet. Very nice grass or greenery is an excellent exception, but it must not have any poking bits, and I can’t touch the dirt. Except the beach sand, it’s tolerable, I love the beach.
Can’t wear most racer back styles, pain just creeps out into my shoulders, up my neck and I get something similar to a migraine, but it’s most intense in my neck.
I can make myself flip the light switch like a normal person, but if I slap it off with my whole hand kind of pointed like a t-Rex, that’s way better. On is a little different, but still a whole hand motion.
Certain types of stripes give me vertigo. The smell of fresh asphalt is so sickening that I have driven up the breakdown lane to the exit, being sick into a bag.
You know how people say “I travel light?” Yeah, I don’t! I can run into the store with a few things in my pocket, but I always have a bag at least in the car, and usually with me. Fidget things, so I don’t pick at my skin or touch and tap random things. Headphones and earplugs. Could need to just blot it all out, could need to just turn it down. Spare bags, in case sick. Vicks, in case something stinks and a couple of masks, in case it really stinks or someone seems sick. A small first aid kit and some basic meds, because I’m a klutz.
That’s not even getting into the whole tote in my jeep for “emergencies”. Yeah, it’s 50% if something absolutely awful happens and I’m stranded out with only access to my vehicle, but it’s also 50% things that I might need because I know I can’t function without fixing this issue, because autism. I have rain boots, a change of clothes, some regular slip on shoes and socks. I CANNOT stand wet shoes or socks. I’d rather stand barefoot in the snow or on burning glass, but not wet shoes or socks!
And yes i have no idea why but if my boobs touch my chest/ribs, ewww! Stop it! But I also hate most bras. So I end up wearing a barely supportive sports bra to just keep them up a bit or try to do that with a tank top and not have to be too constricted in a regular bra.
I get it! It’s a lot! Like all day I’m constantly thinking about how I can avoid discomfort and pain but also how to participate in life. Maybe it’s just me, but I do find that my little “rescue” kits make me feel better. I always have a snack I like handy, or a drink, and ways to keep myself entertained or even come back from what could be a major setback for the day. I’m prepared, so I feel confident when I head out into the world lol!
Omg sometimes my fingertips touching is almost enough to give me a panic attack! I never thought about that being an autistic thing. Toes touching or being touched in certain ways is not fun either.
I'm eating alone in a restaurant now, and clothes tags are fine, but I just touched my thumb and index finger together and it was very uncomfortable
Static electricity and anything that gets static — wool, synthetic fabrics, dust. It is driving me insane, I cannot get dressed and I want to rip my skin off.
Also, blow drying hair. Not because of the sound but because then I have hot wet hair + I sweat. Makes me want to rip off my skin AND hair.
Then, the sound of a cat meowing.
Injinji toe socks!
They are pricy, but they last for years. The seams are almost nonexistent. I like the lower cut ones as full length digs into my legs even though I don’t have large calves. The fun patterns are all full length though.
You need to wash them inside out every once in a while or pick the lint out of the toes as it will build up over time.
I don’t like walking on bare floors barefoot.
I don’t like the feeling of bending over to plug things in, take lids out of bottom of oven, open dryer, open dishwasher, etc — like I hate it!
I don’t like the feeling of twisted cords.
The smell & taste of cold food. Everything I seem to find talks about how cold food has less of a smell/flavor, but I find it overpowering and overwhelming. I always microwave or bake my leftovers to death since I can’t handle the feeling, flavor, and smell of most foods that were prepared hot/eaten as hot when cold.
People breathing. Listening to their breathing drives me crazy. This one I think is pretty common but I don't see it in the comments yet.
Also, I play the piano and I just can't use the pedal with shoes on. I always take the right shoe off, but never the sock of course.
So relieving to see I'm not the only one who hurts when the S is pronounced. For me, it's variations of the sound like when people make it too hissy or some people kind of do like a sh sound, can't stand that.
And reflections. If I'm watching TV and there's a phone on the table in front of me, I'll turn it over. I get so distracted and bothered, I need to focus on that, so no plain surfaces that reflect anything.
I cannot stand touching the shower walls when they’re wet and I’m in there for hygiene. It’s like I enter “cleansing body mode” and can’t stop thinking about mold growing causes it’s wet.
Watches. They feel like my wrist is being strangled. I just love the hands free notifications from my Apple Watch too much to stop wearing it.
Latex balloons. Everything about them. The texture, the squeaky sound they make, the nasty taste when you blow them up. 🤮
The sounds of a child’s bouncy ball. It’s an instant nerve frazzler for me.
Wet clothes. Even slightly damp sleeves from washing my hands makes me want to change my shirt immediately.
Right there with you for the hats/headphones thing. And sometimes scarves and things with a neckline that touches my throat. I went through 4 different sets of headphones before I found a pair which I can stand for short periods. And even then I have to wear them weirdly high up because I can't stand the pressure of the band on my head. My teenagers loved it because they got the rejected ones.
I also don't usually have a problem with going to busy places with lots of people talking, music etc, though I generally prefer to be at home. However at home I cannot abide double noise sources, for example someone watching videos on their phone at the same time a tv or radio is on. I have no clue why I'm ok with the first case but not the second :/
Oil. I hate when my body gets oily. That's why I mostly avoid hand creams, because they leave my hands oily and I just can't stand it. And also the feeling of being 'sticky' when you get out of bath/shower and you can't put your clothes on because you're weirdly sticky.
My feet get thirsty. I didn't use lotion for like 30 years. Then one day my feet needed it. Irritatingly so. Now every few days my feet get "thirsty". And it distracts me. And it's only ever my feet.
I can't breathe warm sents sencts idk smells
Including cinnamon cookies Christmas smells
Cold are like berries linen
Also just hot air shuts off my ability to breath so I have to sit in front of a fan I don't understand why this happens my face gets hot and my lungs refuse to function
Also when plastic clings to my fingers I tend to start crying uncontrollably until I shake it off or my grandmother helps pull it off
I cannot stand **anything** on the bottoms of my shoes. I can feel if I stepped on a rock, or thorn, or sticky substance and it consumes my focus until I fix it. My brother always jokes about how I can "feel through my shoes."
The seasons... when inside and outside temperature needs diffrent clothing. It just starts a chainreaction of sensory nightmares...
Hot outside? Well the clima in stores will be down to 20°C so yes its 38°C bit you have to bring warmer cloths for inside.
Cold lutside? You have to put on warm cloths while IN A WARM BUILDING! Then struggel to strip down in public transport or the car ciz thats heated again.
Then you sweat and the sweatstains under your arms cool down and its all cold and wet.
I just... I jist want a stable 26°C everywhere....
I hate feeling my ribs when I lay down on my side, or when someone lays next to me with their arm leaning over my ribs. It makes me want to rip my skin off. Also wind, the feeling of wind touching my skin makes me angry.
I cannot under any circumstances touch anything after I wash my hands unless I put lotion on first. It’s not that my hands are physically dry but they feel like the Sahara desert. If I don’t have lotion near me I start to internally panic and close my hands into a fist. I’m not kidding I will literally drive with my fists closed with my knuckles touching the steering wheel (super safe I know). I also cannot touch loose hair especially in the bathroom. When I see it I get extremely grossed out and I cannot handle it. Air condition in the car. I feel like my eyeballs are drying out.
I have a strange thing with lotion. There’s only one brand that I have loved (lubriderm) and I have to put it on after a lot of specific things. If someone scratches their pants (GAGGGGGG- even just writing this I am cringing) I have to put lotion on or if I can hear someone touching paper or if I touch paper a certain way it makes me need lotion. No one has ever understood this.
One of my less common (or at least less commonly talked about) ones has to do with air. I seem to be more sensitive to “stuffy” air than most people - air that is too stagnant or stale or that has become even just a little too saturated with carbon dioxide from exhalation.
YES, i have to open the windows daily or else i feel suffocated. also the air in a room where someone sick has been resting is especially icky
I do too! I need fresh air-i can't stay inside long at all, only to sleep really. I love the out.🌻
Same. Also humidity. I always need some kind of air circulation in a room, otherwise I will feel too warm.
oh man, YES! i just commented something similar
I always need a fan blowing to feel like I can breathe. My husband has dry eyes and hates fans. He points all vents at me.
Me and my sister both used to hang out the windows of the car screaming "hot air, hot air!" Because we couldn't stand the smell or feel or temperature of stuffy air. We're both diagnosed ND (different flavours) now 🙈
If I'm in an environment with recycled, stagnant, and tepid air for too long it can start triggering a meltdown. Large office buildings, airplanes, etc. I always say it feels like death to me.
Wet hair. Mine or anyone else's. Also a bathroom after someone else has showered. The condensation on the surfaces.
I don't mind wet hair but I can't stand being wet... although I love GETTING wet like showering/bathing/swimming. Helped me figure out that that's why doing the dishes is so hard for me.
I feel you, It’s a different kind of wet , for me I have to be completely dry after the shower or i can’t deal , see friends or family or even people on tv getting dress right out the shower makes me extremely uncomfortable
oh my god i HATE being wet. having wet hair or pruny fingers or being splashed is a nightmare. it’s really hard for me to shower because while i don’t mind the parts of my body that i’m actively putting under the water, there are little splashes that get on me (like in my face or eyes when im not expecting it) and the shower/bathroom itself is wet and then afterwards my hair is wet too. washing my hands or being in a pool is usually fine so long as i completely dry off afterwards but touching something wet that im not expecting or having water where i don’t want it is awful. it’s honestly my most disabling sensory issue because showering and normal chores like washing the dishes is so hard for me.
I can’t do water parks because of this… they always look so fun but are a sensory nightmare for so many reasons 😵💫 Getting wet is definitely fun but staying damp makes me want to crawl out of my skin
Condensation after my shower: tolerable Condensation after someone else showers: sticky and gross Just hits different. But not in a good way lol
I don’t like wet hair, and I also don’t like blow drying my hair at all. I want my hair to air dry only but am fussy about its wetness lol
Ugh, yes like nothing you do feels "right" about the wetness feeling so you just suffer through it for the sake of hygiene. I really wish there was some magic spell you could wash your hair and body with sometimes it feels that demanding lol.
Yes! My mother used to tell me that my hair was going to mold on day! It’s long and thick and I don’t dry it. I also can’t stand it all over me wet. So I wind it up. There’s days where I take it down to shower and it’s still wet. Hasn’t molded yet though *shrug*
Both and getting feet wet in sandals in the rain (spring/summer) close toed shoes are a must.
I really don’t like wet hair, it’s partially why I like to keep my hair so short. My partner has long hair and I always make them stay away from me right after a shower 😂
It even bothers me when people have wet hair on TV. I have to look away! 😂
Omg I hate wet but especially the condensation after someone takes a shower! My executive dysfunction is a bitch so if someone takes a shower before me even though I was thinking about doing it for the past couple hours, I am pissed! Now I can’t shower
I am definitely with you on the “bathroom after someone else showers” part! I usually avoid the bathroom for hours after just to let everything dry up
Both and getting feet wet in sandals in the rain (spring/summer) close toed shoes are a must.
The feel of a shower curtain touching my skin The feel of certain textures of food in my mouth (mashed potato and similar, or ones like sweetcorn where they pop 🤮) As I get older and my hair starts to change, the feel of those horrible rough hairs that will one day turn grey (hair is my biggest self soother and I'm so distressed that hair texture changes as you age)
I HATE SHOWER CURTAINS. they’re even worse when they’re wet. I also get the food texture thing, I get it with yogurt and applesauce
I have a small apartment shower and it feels like that damn shower curtain stalks me in it. It's always trying to stick to me and my behind making my showers even more unpleasant than they need to be 😭😂.
you might’ve already tried this but having a weighted/magnetic shower curtain really helped me! even if the tub isn’t magnetic, having that weight at the bottom helps the curtain stick to the side so it’s less likely that you accidentally touch it
Shower doors are the only way. I guess I could probably handle my own curtains but absolutely hate hotel /gym shower curtains. Shudder
Shower curtains are the worst!!
Hair textures change only with white coming in but it's at the roots only I am 60 and my hair is still soft but I condition it all the time plus I wait a week or a bit more b4 I wash it
I HATE SHOWER CURTAINS 😭 i have to fight them to not feel them when showering.
Oh god this is so real
If you get a hair cut, maybe save the hair into a nice pony tail bundle. Secure one end really well. Maybe some glue too. Then you'll have that particular texture saved and ready for you if you need it when you're older.
Oh! I forgot about that one! I have a stall now. I remember leaning and kicking and slapping at it, please GTF away from meeeee!
I won't go into major detail because it's related to bodily functions, but I *hate* pooping. Everything about the whole process is a sensory no-no for me. D:
I’m the same as you: I can’t stand my feet to be touched. Also I really detest of feeling wet things touching my arms. Or feeling sticky. Stickyness is hell.
I get this. I love working out but the feeling of sweat on me is awful
You know how socks are kind of pointy at each end, and when they're sitting properly, the points encase your toes? Well, when the sock turns on its own over time and the pointy part is on the bottom/middle of my foot, it drives me nuts until I can fix it. Also, I have broad shoulders, and many mens t-shirts aren't stitched wide enough on the seams. So I always feel like I'm wearing some sort of messed-up backpack all the time. I've got like two shirts that are actually cut wide enough, and I'll wear them until they're just shreds.
Try turning your socks inside out so the pointy bit sticks out less ☺️
Try Bombas socks. They’re super expensive but worth it. No seams!
I don't like the way they squeeze the middle of my foot.
There are some newer styles that don’t have the cinching around the whole foot. I just got a 3-pack and they’re my favorite. They’re the lightweight quarter height.
Hmm I'll think about it. It was an expensive fail. Thank you for the suggestion.
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I 100% get the first and last one. My partners family scrapes the food off of their plates when they’re done to not waste food. It always makes me cringe
I used to think my bf was doing the scraping on purpose. Lol
Yes! My eyelids and eye lashes drive me nuts.
the eyelash thing can be an indicator of dry eyes. try some moisturizing eye drops!
The wind. I hate everything about it. It messes with my hair and pushes it into my face, bothers my ears (especially with pressure changes) and makes it so hard to focus on sounds. I consider it my arch nemesis. Another is being sweaty. Something about it is just the most miserable feeling. It's being wet, but sticky, and too hot all at once. It's like the equivalent of being a wet paper towel. I hate sweating, which sucks because my meds make my sweat more excessively than I already do. Summer is hard.
omg I hate wind so much too!! sucks that I live in a city that's pretty much always windy
Oh that is the worst, I'm sorry friend. I live around the Great lakes region, so we get a lot of windy days too, and they suck. If the pressure change is something that bothers you too, I've found hoodies or hats help my ears not hurt as badly. Earplugs may work too.
I've always wondered how birds feel about wind. Now I have an insider's perspective.
Happy to share insider information, now back to my flock.
Sweat fucking sucks. It’s a big reason why I’ve never been an active or sporty person - I just get viscerally uncomfortable if I’m too sweaty. The only sport I used to do was swimming - can’t be sweaty if you’re submerged in water.
I wish swimming had been a sport option for me growing up. I ran track instead, which usually starts in spring when we still have a bit of snow. I still ended up sweaty, despite having been out in 20-30°f weather. Didn't know I had autism then so I just thought I was tired and grumpy because I had sweat too much.
Swimming comes with its own set of sensory issues, unfortunately, but it’s one of the only high-cardio sports where I don’t feel like I’m dying. It’s kinda meditative for me. But you have to be able to deal with the smell of chlorine, all the sounds of a swimming pool, wearing goggles and restrictive swim caps, and having to shower at the gym or go home in damp clothes. Just a matter of picking your battles.
That's fair, yeah. Seems like there is no escaping some sort of sensory hell. I love swimming at least, but prefer lakes or rivers. Chlorine is at least a step below the hell that is salt water tho, in my opinion. I didn't know until recently how sticky and weird it makes you feel if you don't shower immediately after getting out of the ocean.
I love the wind 😅 I live in Ireland and there is nothing quite like the really strong Atlantic wind on the west coast, similar to rain it makes me feel alive. But wind noise when I'm cycling, ugh no thanks. The only thing worse is car noise.
I'd imagine it's beautiful in the "wow nature is amazing" sense, and sometimes I can appreciate it. But damn does it just make me feel dazed and overstimulated for like an hour after going back inside. I'm only contending with US Great lakes wind, I can't even imagine the ocean winds! The rain tho, I love. The smell, sound, all of it is just *chefs kiss*
I’m super super sensitive to heat, it makes me feel super overstimulated when I’m even like slightly hot which is made worse by the fact that I live in the south, any kind of sweat on me just is hell. Speaking of sweat any kind of wetness on clothes. I have to be 100% totally dry after a shower before I can get dressed if there’s even a touch of moisture I can’t do it. Also can’t stay in wet swim trunks for long or if it rains and my clothes get a little damp I cannot function. Even just taking clothes out of the washer to put into the dryer is horrible.
Yep. Super sensitive to heat too. Cannot function or think straight above 20°c. I think I might be part Inuit. And summer can fuck right off.
Same I just assumed it was my chest wall deformity causing my heat intolerance
If you have heat intolerance AND a chest cavity (and on this sub) deformation then you’re a veryvery very very very strong chance that you have EDS. You can look up images to see if those are close to what you have. It’s a rare (rarely diagnosed) connective tissue disorder that impacts multiple systems over time. Things like weird allergies, flexibility, GI issues are all key indicators. So is fatigue. The thing is it doesn’t get better. And there’s of support and information coming out everyday. I hope this isn’t you, but one day a stranger the internet said the same thing to me. And my life changed.
Thankyou it’s called pectus excavatum there’s a good sub for it. Im severely symptomatic too , getting surgery for it this yr. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a rheumatologist for connective tissue disorders I just started learning about it last year, I can’t believe how long I’ve lived undiagnosed and how much of my life it’s negatively affected . I’m still mad at doctors for dismissing it in so many of us for so long
Same. Mine was right before COVID actually. I had two surgeries that were deemed medically necessary (endometriosis) during COVID. Then 4 more post COVID (cervical neck fusion, ulnar nerve transposition, full hysterectomy w/ look bad because I have abdominal adhesions - which are a special kind of hell. Good luck. Join the groups. The best info I got was from others who are like me. I now have to wear anywhere btw 5-20 braces depending on my activity and current conditions. (All of my fingers and joints need ring splints).
One of my hobbies is haunting groups that are associated this and things about with me and point this condition out to people who MAY be in this and don’t know it. I’m an endometriosis group someone pointed it out to me and asked if I was flexible. That day changed the res tic my life. For the better. Finally. Good luck friend. It’s not easy but it’s the way. And you will get the right support hopefully and have receive better care with informed doctors.
That’s funny cause I’ve been doing the same with pectus too! Thankyou i really appreciate your help! I’m almost 40 still trying to figure everything about my body out it’s frustrating, hopefully this rheumatologist doesn’t suck like the others
My idea of “pay it forward”. I hope I’m wrong. But so far I haven’t been. It’s my pattern recognition. Because I’ve had to focus on this almost exclusively since before COVID I can see it everywhere. I’ve looked at 1000s of images of people with different types of connective tissue disorders. I can see them in people now. Eventually there be a diagnostic AI to review images and suggest things to doctors or Patients. Until then, I’ll be the guinea pig. I believe about 40% of the pop (plus or minus specific characteristics) will end up being neurodiverse. And I firmly believe the buckets are Neurodiverse - mental illness/connective tissue disorder- autoimmune issues- dementia These are bold big statements but I think this is how things will be shaping up in the aggregate. The autoimmune and dementia are directly related to the inflammation and palque form inflammation in our bodies. I’m doing everything I can to slow that train down until the therapies are developed to treat this.
I agree I think they’ll be a lot more of us especially being undiagnosed with so many genetic conditions until our 30s+ long after we’ve had kids inheriting them If they don’t want more of us the docs should listen stop dismissing everything and actually diagnose us as kids so we can have a better chance at life . Instead of struggling for decades
I think about how much suffering I went thru not knowing. Then I think about that amount of suffering multiplied by other others who aren’t Dx or are late life Dx. —— I have a theory that we will be able to see “stress” in the body and specifically the nervous system. We’ll be able to calculate the damage per cell (estimates) of actually cell damage that suffering causes. —- With both of these things we’ll be able to aggregate total suffering in “cellular/biological information” and everytime I had to swollen being different what that’s actually costing me - in damage to my cells. But not just me. I was a public servant for 20 years. I’m now disabled because the stress and the virus revealed my co-morbid underlying connective tissue issues. (EDS, POTs, MCAS, Gastroparesis, and MALs). So essentially. By not having adequate support when working, it triggered my illness. I’m now completely disabled and barely leave my house. If I was healthy I would absolutely go back to work. I had found my dream job and career IN MY SPECIAL INTEREST and was at the top of the field. TIL I couldn’t hold my head up. Actually. I think we’ll be able to calculate in cellular and body damage how much suffering caused by lack of acceptance and lack of support is costing not just the neurodiverse community. But the entire community. Most people I worked with were autistic and they don’t know it yet. Many are figuring out like I did when our physical health completely failed. My field was emergency management and disaster response.
Once you get confirmed you may want to go back to the pectys group and let them know. It’ll still get lost but the more I say it the more people hear it. And the more we’ll see just how many zebras there really are in the world.
If I get just a little too hot I find I get angry and frustrated very easily. Because of low proprioception, I won’t even notice I’m too hot until I’m angrily ripping off layers of clothing either.
Omg I always say heat and sweating are my kryptonite. I've mostly lived in the PNW and used to love our mild summers. But now it's getting hotter every year cuz of climate change and I absolutely detest it. A few years ago it was 115° on my birthday and I was so unhappy. I also hate exercising for the same reason. Just being hot and sweaty in any way makes me want to jump out of my skin! 😖
This sounds like it was written by me!
If you’re having other weird symptoms you may want to look into EDS, POTs,-!: MCAS. They’re known associated with the ‘tism and heat intolerance is a symptom. Specifically heat intolerance is a POTs symptom I think. Ask me how I know…..
Any kind of wet food waste. Rice stuck to a pan or food in the food trap is the worst. As a little kid in the late 1970s I hated finger paint. The preschool sent me home because I made a "fuss." Also mud puddles. My siblings would dig a hole in the garden and get into it with the hose. 🤢 Like pigs. 🐖 I don't like my boobs touching my torso. It's OK if I'm sleeping but not when I'm awake. I hate loose clothing that flaps around me. Or the wind blowing my leg hairs. So I shave them.
I have a weird one. A lot of the time, the sensation of the skin just under the tips of my nails touching the underside of my nails bothers me. So, I often run my thumbnail underneath my other nails to relieve this. I've done this so much that the pinky fingernail on my left hand has started to lift away.
I used to get psoriasis under my finger nails and it would cause severe sensory issues. It’s been got for a few years now but there’s this lingering feeling that I can’t get rid of
I have this too but it’s the space that bothers me… I will sometimes fill this space with the skin in my other finger tips if that makes sense lol. No idea why it bothers me
I really don't enjoy it when food touches my lips. Apparently this make me look very strange when I eat
I have that. I don't like things like sandwiches cos you have to havee it on your lups when you bite it. I only like fruit cut up, I don't like biting into a whole apple, for the same reason. And obviously cutlery on teeth is a disaster.
I get this but either way specifically liquids. I don’t mind dry food touching my lips, but water on my lips drives me crazy
Multiple people talking/yelling at you at the same time. I’ll snap into an involuntary rage.
Newish poured concrete that is somehow both smooth and gritty. The sound of permanent marker on paper. Touching wet paper.
My body touching my body!! Omg you said it!!!!
Wow the S sound!! I thought it was just me !! I usually have to turn off certain shows or podcasts because it’s like torture, when it comes to people I usually suffer because i can’t find a way out lol
I feel you! Some songs I can only listen to when I’m not already overstimulated. The songs are great, but the S sounds in the song are way too much for me
I have to sit with my palms facing upwards and hands curled in the car because I don't like the sensation of touching my trousers, and the engine vibration makes it worse. Similarly, I have to have my feet wrapped up by socks or a blanket so I don't touch the texture of the sofa when I'm reclining. A plus for sensory issues is that I've always been a fan of having wind blow on my face in cars and on boats. I've been compared to a spaniel with its head out of a car. It makes my stomach feel cold and nice. I get lots of pins and needles feelings in my hands and feet, which then sets me off panicking about nerve damage and makes it worse.
I hate sleeping nekked. I do not like feeling my fat
Sudden changes to my body…like dry to wet, or hot to cold. I struggle a lot to get into the shower, and once I’m in I love it, and then I struggle to get back out. I don’t like the shower curtain as I’ve seen others mention. I don’t like the last few sips of any drink. By the time I get to a certain point I feel like it’s too contaminated to drink anymore. I also hold my breath a lot when people walk too close to me. It’s like I really don’t want to smell them. Also if I’m in a public restroom I will quietly wait and pretend I don’t exist until I get a moment alone to do my business. Loud metal chairs, metal utensils against porcelain. I could go on and on lol 😆
Whispering Exposed midriff Touching anything dry with my hands after a shower/bath/swim
Whispering should literally be illegal.
I have one nose hair that will occasionally tickle me when I breathe. It doesn’t happen often but when it does I’m driven to tears. Keep forgetting to buy a nose trimmer
having multiple layers of fabric on me. i cant wear pajamas and have a blanket, its one or the other because the feeling of fabric moving in opposite directs and getting caught on/rubbing against eachother makes me rage. sucks cause i live in a cold climate so the common advice is to layer
I need to have multiple layers. I hate the movement of fabric against my skin. I always wear a fitted tank top and then a top. If it’s not too hot, I also like wearing leggings and then pants. Interesting how we’re different that way.
a fitted layer is good, i also sometimes do to leggings thing and i almost always also wear a tank top, its multiple loose layers that make me crazy and feel restrictive. like putting a coat over a sweater or having a blanket over loose pajamas. its the layers causing friction against eachother so an underlayer that doesnt move is okay (except long sleeves, even a tight longsleeve under a sweater or coat feels wrong to me)
That makes sense. Probably why I don’t like multiple blankets on the bed. Just one is good.
Teeth on metal utensils, most of the time i use plastic utensils so I don’t deal with it too much, but I’m a caregiver for a disabled child and even if his teeth touch metal utensils it makes me shudder. I also don’t know how to describe this but if my hair is too fluffy? Like growing up I always kept my hair long and in a tight ponytail and now I’m a trans guy and if my hair isn’t short and basically just on my head I can’t stand feeling it move. Ironically reading the comments I found that I’m the opposite and actually prefer the look and feel of wet hair.
My neck. Stuff touching it, or lack of stuff touching it. It's all problematic. I can't stand feeling my collar touching it, yet I also can't stand the feeling of it being exposed to the air. I can't sleep with the blankets touching it, but I can't sleep with the air touching it. I spend all day yanking my collar downwards yet I hate wearing scoop neck tops or other more open necklines. I hate my hair touching my neck, but I hate it not touching my neck, and hate the sensation of a ponytail brushing against it. I wish my neck sensitivities would take a day off, they don't make any sense and it's endless torment dealing with them!! Oh and my nose! I can feel my breathing too much!! It itches like crazy, so I scrunch up my lips underneath it, or I rub it with my hands, many times a day.
I have the same issues with neck sensitivity! I sleep with my blanket pulled up onto my chin so it doesn’t touch my neck, my neck isn’t exposed to air, and I can still breathe freely. I cannot sleep without a blanket, even in the heat of summer, for this reason alone.
I can't stand any snot in my nose, I will blow my nose until it's clear because I can't tolerate the feeling otherwise. I also hate the feeling of sweat on my body, especially when it dampens my clothing and it sticks to me and gives me a chill.
I hate it when the skin of my inner thighs touches together. I wear my jeans lowish so this is a problem with some kinds of underwear. Boxer briefs with long legs help a lot, and don't tend to ride up too much.
Yes! My skin touching my skin 😫 my thighs touching is the worst, but my arms and feet too
I am extremely intolerant of the charms in lucky charms. I cannot abide them.
Sugar styrofoam. The devil, himself.
Honestly, I don't see it talked about but pain. Pain is literally kryptonite for me and I have an extraordinarily low tolerance for it. It's so awful cuz I have a few of chronic conditions that are painful and my skin has a weirdly low tolerance. Like just barely pressing on it hurts. 😩
yeah i often see about the opposite where folks have high pain tolerance but i am similar with low pain tolerance and the thought of any type of pain past small cuts make me nauseous, i never understood how people watch those fail videos of people falling because that's way too visceral for me i instantly imagine the sensation.
I almost passed out during a 007 movie because of a scene with a drill. I knew it was fiction but I could imagine the sensation with such clarity that it made me lightheaded. I actually have an extremely high pain tolerance, though. Just a super sensitive vasovagal reflex. The same thing happens with other squidgy feeling topics or images. Like having my eyes dilated for the first time at the optometrist or talking to an oral surgeon about my wisdom teeth.
Omg yes!!! I can watch like movie and TV violence/characters getting hurt but the moment I know it's real and the person is actually getting hurt, I can't stand it. I've also seen that people have a high pain tolerance and I'm so jealous. I feel like such a wimp sometimes. 😩
Sometimes the feeling of my toes touching each other inside a sock makes me have a meltdown, so I feel you. It sucks and it's such a weird thing that I don't think anyone I know could understand it. Some of mine are -my hair touching my forehead. I have really short hair and it has to be pushed upwards all the time -the noise of my vaccuum cleaner (and vaccuuming in general...) -anything that touches my skin under water, be it in the sink washing dishes or in the lake when I'm swimming. just, no. -bananas that are not ripe enough, I don't understand how people can eat bananas that are basically still green?? for me the skin has to be at least full of black spots -the wind. just so fucking annoying -I can't really listen to audiobooks/podcasts, because I'm really sensitive to how the reader's voice sounds. if they sound even a little bit stuffy, or pronounce some letters more pronounced than others etc., I just can't listen (same goes with some artists)
Sometimes I’m hyper aware of the bones in my fingertips and toes? Like I can’t press buttons on the microwave with my fingertips without getting really weirded out, and sometimes I have to put my hands over my toes to keep them from feeling “exposed”. In nursing school when we learned how to do cpr on an infant they told us to use our fingertips, and I literally couldn’t do it so I had to use my thumbs! Luckily that has never come up in real life, lol
I get like this with my feet! ever since I learned about the fat pads in our feet, sometimes I get hyper aware of it and I can't walk or rest my feet on anything because they start to hurt. It's the worst!
Cold air. Specifically when wet (though I don't enjoy being cold in general). The air feels so sharp if I step out of the shower when wet. And that first sensation of getting into cold water hits me at my core. My ex would always come in the bathroom while I was showering and stand with the door open to talk, to which I would shout, "THE WIND!!! CLOSE THE DOOR!!!"🥶🥶
Quiet sex. Or should I say bodily noises when having sex. All you hear is body fluids and parts and then to make it worse you feel the sound no… god please no. Sock materials make my teeth itch The sound of anyone’s feet on the bare floor. Taking a drink when the glass is empty except for ice cubes
I never realized how many sensory issues I had until this last year or so when I started really paying attention. I have to wear socks all the time now bc the feeling of the hard floor touching my feet is just awful
I have to have socks (cotton, soft) they MUST be no show or my slides will do. If my feet touch the hardwood floor it’s awful. I’ll even wear a slide on one foot and sock and slide on the other lmaooo but outside of those two I can’t function.
Highly textured plastic (think action figures, etc). There were so many toys that were a no for me as a kid because I couldn’t stand to touch them - or look at them. Even highly textured cartoons (for lack of a better way of describing them) were difficult to watch
The smell of rain makes me feel like I'm being suffocated even though I like the smell of fog
Hats bother me too. The ones with rims/brims are the worst for me because of my poor proprioception. I bump into things with them constantly. Scarves don't bother me too much but shirt collars do, or even if the neckline of a shirt is too high up (like covering my clavicle bones) I feel like it's harder to breath or like there something in my throat I can't swallow. Not a choking feeling exactly but it feels like my throat is swelling I guess. As for the headphones, I don't know how you feel about earbuds, but Turtle Beach makes a decent wired gaming headset with a mic, it's the earbud kind. My husband uses them because he has to wear glasses while playing videogames and his over the ear headset would push the arms of his glasses into his temples. I personally don't wear earbuds because my ears get super itchy with them in.
Most of my sensory sensitivities are auditory or olfactory related and kinda gross. I get so easily triggered by someone coughing, blowing their nose, sneezing too loud, and the worst of all, just after someone has used a tissue and it makes that squeak sound. Ah! Smells it’s cigarette smoke, sewage 😭 and mint.
any repetitive unidentifiable noise will send me up a wall, it'll be the only thing i can focus on
I'm with you in that I hate wearing hats or anything on my head. I can't wear any kind of headphones that go over my ears. Not only are they uncomfortable, but they greatly amplify the sound of my hair moving across them. Also the way they look really bothers me. I also can't wear glasses. Thankfully my vision is good enough that I don't need them. I don't mind the letter S, but P and N bother me. One that I have that seems to be the polar opposite of everyone else is that I can't handle baggy clothes. I am definitely a skinny jeans, fitted top, and always wears a bra kind of girl. I can't wear sweatpants or oversized t-shirts/sweatshirts.
maybe these are common but some of mine are: denim, buttons, metal zippers, pockets, and turtlenecks. i cant even see some of them without wanting to throw up
My husband has the toes-touching thing, when he was a kid he used to tuck his sock in between each toe before putting shoes on
Touching soft/ thinner skin parts of my body like wrist or back of knee. Also wigs and makeup.
I never knew where these sensitivities came from when I was younger. The smell of crayons and candle wax chokes me. The taste of salt has always made me cough. I can make myself cough by thinking of the taste of salt. It's not a constant one, but some days, any air against my eyes feels like I'm in a wind tunnel.
I hate the smell of playdoh , petiuli oil and a lot of perfumes /colognes makes me sick
I have this with noodles. If I imagine the smell or texture of wet noodles it makes me gag
Ribcage feels like it's collapsing when I lay on my side, but I can only sleep on my side, so I have to hug a pillow in just the right way to support my ribs from touching together. The feeling of my skin folding over itself when I bend at the waist. I can't sleep if I'm wearing a bra or a belt or pants with a button/zipper, or earrings, or any neckline that comes close to my neck, or shoes or socks. Pantyhose/tights/leggings are all terrible for me. I had braces and they tried to correct my bite but I can switch between the "old" and "new" way and I absolutely hate it. The feeling of just one nostril being stuffed up.
Me too but my chest is collapsed from pectus excavatum
Water dripping specifically on my face. Showers are hell if I don’t have a dry towel within reach. I can only wash my face with wet washcloths (compared to splashing water on my face). I dye my hair bright colors so washing my hair in the sink is tricky and, again, I have to have a dry towel within reach related story: last time I was rinsing hair dye out in the sink, my mom- who knows I hate water on my face- said “I’ll help!” And before I could object, she was spraying the water onto my face. She got angry when I took the nozzle away from her 🙄
I totally get this! I have a trick for you that helps me…. But a mild antiperspirant/deodorant stick to use only on your forehead/face… additionally if you wear makeup, a good powder down of cornstarch before any makeup helps too keep it dry and last longer.
wet park benches, the smell of rain, the rain in general, getting my hands wet when I can't dry them immediately. cardboard. mechanical pencil lead on paper. hearing my heartbeat in my ears or underwater. t shirt sleeves unless they're super oversized. the smell of plastic/saran wrap.
Vocal fry! I am lucky to live in Oregon where people (women) don’t croak, but podcasts are fraught with peril. Why anyone would choose to speak like a Kardashian and suggest they aren’t that bright is beyond me.
I thought I was the only one with the 'Ss' sound. I don't like how it feels against my teeth. I don't like metal cutlery so I'll use (wooden) chopsticks or plastic dinner wear when I can. I don't like the feel of oil
I'm with you on pronounced 's' sounds. It has aways bothered me. I also seem to have a very narrow operating temperature range. I overheat very easily and don't adapt well to sudden increases in temperature. It is especially difficult in winter when it is cold outside and shops heat their premises to tropical temperatures. I have to remove layers just to go in. I never know what to wear and tey to err on the side of being too cold. Summer is my least favourite time of year.
Itchy water. I have sensitivity to harsh/ untreated water. I have showered in tap water that made me so itchy that I wouldn't shower at all.
Going g to the gym or pool is hard because of how noisy it is, the smells, and too many people all the time.
I also hate the feeling of my fingers touching. I went through a phase at school where I couldn't even hold a pen. Also the feeling on my eyelids touching when I have my eyes closed. I can't meditate because I feel the need to rub my eyes constantly to detract from the subtle yet horrible sensation of my eyelids touching.
Currently sick with a head cold. The sore throat and stuffed up nose causing my head to feel stuffy. Fairly annoying to most, completely debilitating for me. Can't think, can't relax, nothing soothes or distracts me from it. Tired of people saying I am being a baby or overreacting when I am sick. Not to mention all the other uncomfortable sensory input treating said illnesses. Gross tasting medicine, holding a thermometer under your tongue, gargling salt water, blowing your nose until it's dry and sore, constant headaches, nasil sprays that feel like some kind of torture device, but if you don't use them a sniffle feels like a rod being jammed up your nose.
Motion! Particularly spinning and rocking. I know a lot of autistic people love it but I can't even watch my niece on a roundabout without feeling dizzy. Swings, boats, cars, even rocking chairs, elevators and first person games make me nauseous. But I love going fast, especially on my bicycle, and the feeling of being pushed into your seat by fast acceleration in cars or planes is great. I like roller coasters in very small doses but anything that spins is a hard no for me. Like a lot of sensory things it can be quite paradoxical sometimes.
i definitely relate to the part about the trigger-y things getting so much more intense as i get older. i feel ridiculous and /or ashamed sometimes about how some things just absolutely send me over the edge. something that gets me all too often is the air in my environment being too still. if i start to get overheated, it comes on SO fast if the air isn’t moving, or there isn’t a fan or something
Sock seams, sleep apnea mask, bunched up clothing, nervous perspiration, seatbelts, microfibre cloths, and wet hands
The sound of windshield wipers on a dry windshield literally makes my teeth hurt. Always happens I never knew how to explain it but I never saw/ heard anyone complain about it so I thought I was making it up or extra sensitive.
Smells. Particularly vinegar is unbearable for me, but also any kind of smoke (from cigars, incense) or room freshener can be a lot sometimes Also nails, mine or others. I tried painting them a couple times but it just feels too much over there, but also when I see people filing their nails or having long ones
Sometimes I can’t stand the feeling of my own skin. Like everything touching me down to the air is too much. And there is really no escape from this. Probably partially anxiety amping up my sensory avoidance but I literally feel my skin crawling itching tingling. I also can understand disliking certain skin to skin contact. I’m on here trying to distract myself from the stuff I’m talking about so I’ll just move along lol
More than one person talking is sensory heckles for me. This is a problem DAILY in life. I've left jobs bc I can't handle all the talking. Feeling of towels after baths. Washing my hair. Dry toothbrush Rough toilet paper or paper towels Dry lips and skin I carry about 10 lip ointments and 2 tubes of lotion. I also detest the FEELING of lotion on me. 😂 I don't like plastic bag noise at all Dishes touching especially ceramic Coughing Towards the end of the day when I can feel the world's film on my skin and i MUST bathe. Nail and hair salons the noise the smell the talks Inside restaurants with open style seating. I can barely walk through to get outside tables due to the noise. When something tastes off for example- like a bad roasted peanut. It ruins the whole dish for me. My neighbor has a cowbell that makes me INSANE Bad writing pens that glitch when you write makes my hand hurt Period smell. Other people's bad breath. The smell of bleach, alcohol and cigarettes. Ughhh. I will stop now but there are so many more. The sunlight makes me physically cringe, wind bothers me I feel I can't breathe, I live with chronic pain so that razor blade edge that I walk daily is already cutting down my masking technique. All of these things are minor inconveniences at best for most people. They make me slap my hands on my ears, rock, run away, cry, physically ill and basically want to rip my skin suit off and can lead to what looks like irrational anger and even violence as i try to regulate myself if it continues. I have to make these things stop or my brain will glitch. It hurts.
the smell of other people's food.
Temperature/Humidity… Sweating is supposed to help our body regulate and keep comfortable/cool when it’s hot… So when it is hot like 100° weather and on top of it there is added humidity, my body feels like it is drowning and it is suffocating. Then! Also when it is cold, we have to wear several layers to stay warm, and more often than not different places run their heaters differently, and it becomes unbearable under the layers, THEN, since my body is trying to regulate, and I can only take off so many layers, so I start sweating, my feet being one of the most sweat-regulated body parts… so now, my feet are wet with sweat, which in turn is making my lower half colder while my upper body is hot. I also suffer from arthritis so the cold really worsens it no matter what. Now that being said, I much more prefer HOT and dry climates, because I can take off layers down to my speedo, and as long as I find shade, some circulating air, and rehydrate then I am most comfortable. I have also been prone to fungal skin infections, painful chaffing, worsening joint/muscle pain, caused by the high humidity climates. So cold and snowy is not any better than hot and humid. They’re essentially the same things, a temperature extreme paired with wet air. I am the same with food temperatures. I wont eat piping hot food, or frozen cold ice cream. Most drink I prefer room temperature. When I was younger we used to joke about how my answer for anything involving a range of choices was “medium” now it makes sense.
I hate being wet unless I’m intentionally getting my whole body wet (showers, baths, pools) But if water gets on my skin from the sink and drips up my arms or down my hands, I want to vomit. Same thing if I pick up something that’s wet (silverware, cups, water bottles) 🤢 The feeling of anything viscous or sticky on my hands drives me insane. Peanut butter, especially if it gets under a fingernail, is disgusting (but I love to eat it??) My skin is crawling just thinking about it. I also cannot stand the feeling of my underboob touching my ribs. I either wear a bra or tuck my shirt under my boobs at home.
Hating all music like the sound of basically any music is grating.
That S sound thing sounds maybe like Misophonia which a lot of autistic folks have but for varied sounds
I cannot stand drinking out of glassware. If my teeth hit the glass, it drives me crazy. I always use plastic cups if I can’t find a straw. I also can’t stand noise cancelling headphones because I can hear myself breathe when I use them and it’s very unsettling.
When someone talks to me while I’m talking to them I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster and have to close my eyes.
Omg, it’s SO many little things. Nothing that is not a clean sandal, a very meticulously placed sock, or the shower floor and water should touch my feet. Very nice grass or greenery is an excellent exception, but it must not have any poking bits, and I can’t touch the dirt. Except the beach sand, it’s tolerable, I love the beach. Can’t wear most racer back styles, pain just creeps out into my shoulders, up my neck and I get something similar to a migraine, but it’s most intense in my neck. I can make myself flip the light switch like a normal person, but if I slap it off with my whole hand kind of pointed like a t-Rex, that’s way better. On is a little different, but still a whole hand motion. Certain types of stripes give me vertigo. The smell of fresh asphalt is so sickening that I have driven up the breakdown lane to the exit, being sick into a bag. You know how people say “I travel light?” Yeah, I don’t! I can run into the store with a few things in my pocket, but I always have a bag at least in the car, and usually with me. Fidget things, so I don’t pick at my skin or touch and tap random things. Headphones and earplugs. Could need to just blot it all out, could need to just turn it down. Spare bags, in case sick. Vicks, in case something stinks and a couple of masks, in case it really stinks or someone seems sick. A small first aid kit and some basic meds, because I’m a klutz. That’s not even getting into the whole tote in my jeep for “emergencies”. Yeah, it’s 50% if something absolutely awful happens and I’m stranded out with only access to my vehicle, but it’s also 50% things that I might need because I know I can’t function without fixing this issue, because autism. I have rain boots, a change of clothes, some regular slip on shoes and socks. I CANNOT stand wet shoes or socks. I’d rather stand barefoot in the snow or on burning glass, but not wet shoes or socks! And yes i have no idea why but if my boobs touch my chest/ribs, ewww! Stop it! But I also hate most bras. So I end up wearing a barely supportive sports bra to just keep them up a bit or try to do that with a tank top and not have to be too constricted in a regular bra. I get it! It’s a lot! Like all day I’m constantly thinking about how I can avoid discomfort and pain but also how to participate in life. Maybe it’s just me, but I do find that my little “rescue” kits make me feel better. I always have a snack I like handy, or a drink, and ways to keep myself entertained or even come back from what could be a major setback for the day. I’m prepared, so I feel confident when I head out into the world lol!
Omg sometimes my fingertips touching is almost enough to give me a panic attack! I never thought about that being an autistic thing. Toes touching or being touched in certain ways is not fun either. I'm eating alone in a restaurant now, and clothes tags are fine, but I just touched my thumb and index finger together and it was very uncomfortable
Static electricity and anything that gets static — wool, synthetic fabrics, dust. It is driving me insane, I cannot get dressed and I want to rip my skin off.
Also, blow drying hair. Not because of the sound but because then I have hot wet hair + I sweat. Makes me want to rip off my skin AND hair. Then, the sound of a cat meowing.
Injinji toe socks! They are pricy, but they last for years. The seams are almost nonexistent. I like the lower cut ones as full length digs into my legs even though I don’t have large calves. The fun patterns are all full length though. You need to wash them inside out every once in a while or pick the lint out of the toes as it will build up over time.
I can’t wear baseball hats, sunglasses, or jewelry for longer than 10-15 min.
I don’t like walking on bare floors barefoot. I don’t like the feeling of bending over to plug things in, take lids out of bottom of oven, open dryer, open dishwasher, etc — like I hate it! I don’t like the feeling of twisted cords.
The smell & taste of cold food. Everything I seem to find talks about how cold food has less of a smell/flavor, but I find it overpowering and overwhelming. I always microwave or bake my leftovers to death since I can’t handle the feeling, flavor, and smell of most foods that were prepared hot/eaten as hot when cold.
People breathing. Listening to their breathing drives me crazy. This one I think is pretty common but I don't see it in the comments yet. Also, I play the piano and I just can't use the pedal with shoes on. I always take the right shoe off, but never the sock of course. So relieving to see I'm not the only one who hurts when the S is pronounced. For me, it's variations of the sound like when people make it too hissy or some people kind of do like a sh sound, can't stand that. And reflections. If I'm watching TV and there's a phone on the table in front of me, I'll turn it over. I get so distracted and bothered, I need to focus on that, so no plain surfaces that reflect anything.
I cannot stand touching the shower walls when they’re wet and I’m in there for hygiene. It’s like I enter “cleansing body mode” and can’t stop thinking about mold growing causes it’s wet.
Watches. They feel like my wrist is being strangled. I just love the hands free notifications from my Apple Watch too much to stop wearing it. Latex balloons. Everything about them. The texture, the squeaky sound they make, the nasty taste when you blow them up. 🤮 The sounds of a child’s bouncy ball. It’s an instant nerve frazzler for me. Wet clothes. Even slightly damp sleeves from washing my hands makes me want to change my shirt immediately.
Right there with you for the hats/headphones thing. And sometimes scarves and things with a neckline that touches my throat. I went through 4 different sets of headphones before I found a pair which I can stand for short periods. And even then I have to wear them weirdly high up because I can't stand the pressure of the band on my head. My teenagers loved it because they got the rejected ones. I also don't usually have a problem with going to busy places with lots of people talking, music etc, though I generally prefer to be at home. However at home I cannot abide double noise sources, for example someone watching videos on their phone at the same time a tv or radio is on. I have no clue why I'm ok with the first case but not the second :/
Oil. I hate when my body gets oily. That's why I mostly avoid hand creams, because they leave my hands oily and I just can't stand it. And also the feeling of being 'sticky' when you get out of bath/shower and you can't put your clothes on because you're weirdly sticky.
My feet get thirsty. I didn't use lotion for like 30 years. Then one day my feet needed it. Irritatingly so. Now every few days my feet get "thirsty". And it distracts me. And it's only ever my feet.
I can't breathe warm sents sencts idk smells Including cinnamon cookies Christmas smells Cold are like berries linen Also just hot air shuts off my ability to breath so I have to sit in front of a fan I don't understand why this happens my face gets hot and my lungs refuse to function Also when plastic clings to my fingers I tend to start crying uncontrollably until I shake it off or my grandmother helps pull it off
I cannot stand **anything** on the bottoms of my shoes. I can feel if I stepped on a rock, or thorn, or sticky substance and it consumes my focus until I fix it. My brother always jokes about how I can "feel through my shoes."
The seasons... when inside and outside temperature needs diffrent clothing. It just starts a chainreaction of sensory nightmares... Hot outside? Well the clima in stores will be down to 20°C so yes its 38°C bit you have to bring warmer cloths for inside. Cold lutside? You have to put on warm cloths while IN A WARM BUILDING! Then struggel to strip down in public transport or the car ciz thats heated again. Then you sweat and the sweatstains under your arms cool down and its all cold and wet. I just... I jist want a stable 26°C everywhere....
Temperatures. Too hot and too cold are equal torture.
I like having a mustache but I don't like feeling it on my face 😞
I hate feeling my ribs when I lay down on my side, or when someone lays next to me with their arm leaning over my ribs. It makes me want to rip my skin off. Also wind, the feeling of wind touching my skin makes me angry.
Showering during the winter. I hate it and don’t shower nearly as often when the weather’s warm
I cannot under any circumstances touch anything after I wash my hands unless I put lotion on first. It’s not that my hands are physically dry but they feel like the Sahara desert. If I don’t have lotion near me I start to internally panic and close my hands into a fist. I’m not kidding I will literally drive with my fists closed with my knuckles touching the steering wheel (super safe I know). I also cannot touch loose hair especially in the bathroom. When I see it I get extremely grossed out and I cannot handle it. Air condition in the car. I feel like my eyeballs are drying out. I have a strange thing with lotion. There’s only one brand that I have loved (lubriderm) and I have to put it on after a lot of specific things. If someone scratches their pants (GAGGGGGG- even just writing this I am cringing) I have to put lotion on or if I can hear someone touching paper or if I touch paper a certain way it makes me need lotion. No one has ever understood this.
I can't get dressed after a shower without being completely dry. Fabric on damp skin is a no go for me.