Reaction to a hug?

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I've only had one 'bear hug'-style of hug - a real crusher - and it actually wasn't too bad at all; very different feelings/perceptions were attached to it.

I don't like hugs from anyone except close family members. If a non-close family member tries to hug me, I step back and explain that I am not all that huggy. Most people take it well. I prefer what I call "far-away hugs" which is when another person puts their arm around you.

This would be a faraway hug:

Usually if somebody tries to hug me, I'll try to "get out" of the hug as I'm telling the hugger, "okay, that's enough with the hugging already!".

I hate it!! !! !! !! !! !! ! It is an invasion of my space, and it is very uncomfortable, and it used to make me cry as a baby. At age 44, and trying to do my best not to let it bother me, I involuntarily flinch and pull back, and I just get super-awkward. My natural instinct would be to plant an elbow in the attempted hugger's ribs with significant force, but I don't do that of course. People are insulted because they think I don't like them, or that I think they smell, or something. That's not it, and they just don't understand unless they understand autism.

Charles

I absolutely love hugs.

No one ever gets to hug me, ever. I am dead serious about it too, and it would be extremely hard to change my natural reaction. Then again I feel hugging as an aggressive action in which I feel the urge to shove the person away from me. Luckily, no one has tried to hug me in recent times, and if they made an attempt, I would let them know as firmly but politely as possible that it is not happening.

I feel awkwardness. A sort of blankness that makes me think I should feel something. I just flop my body against them.
I think I feel much more at ease when I hug or am hugged by someone close to me.

I don't mind hugging as long as I intiate the hug. My mother has learned to let me come to her, but my dad and brother are Aspies too and so we're not really a huggy family .

Other people are harder. If I see someone coming toward me as if to hug me I put my arms up to so that at least feel like I'm initiating it too. It helps. Otherwise, just grin and bear it.

Casual touch just bothers me. People putting their hand on my shoulder feels like some kind of restraint. I'm also startled easily, and peope have made loud noises or sudden movements near me just to watch me startle so they can laugh . I try to laugh because they are, but I don't know how to tell them it bothers me.

For me its a sudden discomfort the only thing that pops into my mind is to run away or make it stop. Normally I pull away or ask the person never to do it again. I cannot believe how many people have gotten upset that I did not want them touching me. I tell them it makes me uncomfortable and sometimes causes a meltdown. But the have the need to call me stuck up or an as*hole for not wanting to be touched. I also refuse fist bumps and high fives because it involves touching and an extended arm exposes the body to attack. This pisses guys off more than anything. I had a guy ask me "Are you going to leave me hanging dude?" my reply " I don't do high fives or fist bumps your leaving yourself out to hang." and with that he wanted to fight.