Is hugging an intimate experience for anyone else?

Post Reply New Topic

Not wrong, have you not heard that sensory sensitivities are common enough that it is now part of the diagnostic criteria for autism? According to Dr. Tony Attwood touch sensitivity is the most common senserory sensitivity for aspies.

People here are posting about their experiences so why assume my post is about every hug for everybody?

I don't know if its an Aspie thing, but suspect not. Hugs come in a range of different types for me. Some Aspies don't like hugs. I would guess it depends upon the person and also what you are exposed to. Hugs are very common and frequent in some cultures.

To me, hugging is very intimate (as are things like eye contact). So for that reason I usually prefer hugs from significant others (as well potential ones) and friends who I've know for a long time (who I've shared a lot with).

And for everyone else, I have this to say:

It's not really a big deal for me to hug someone that I know. I would get uncomfortable though when guys that I recently met would pressure me to hug or show any kind of physical affection because it would have a different meaning to it. I'd probably really like hugging a SO though.

Yes, hugging is something very special to me. An experience that I enjoy sharing only with a partner, or a very close friend, or a child or pet I love. Never with anyone else, even relatives. Touch is painful, I feel like receiving an electric shock even when I enjoy the experience. It's probably why even a hug feels this way to me. I share something precious with someone special to me (in a romantic or simply platonic way), something I won't give to anyone else. As you can guess, in other circumstances I'm the kind of person who dislikes being touched to say the least.

Last edited by MissAlgernon on 24 Feb 2016, 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I would like to thank everyone for the replies. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one who thinks this way about hugs.

I just hope you're not hugging random women like a seatbelt does.

I only like hugging my girlfriend.

I was in bed last night and I realized that although I don't like to be hugged per se, I do like the feeling of something up against my torso. I was pulling up the extra blanket to feel that pressure. Makes me feel better. Almost comforted.

I think hugs can be can be anything from a very intimate expression to a simple form of greeting. I would say they are generally more intimate than a handshake when used as a greeting, but not always. I love hugging and cuddling with people who are very close to me. However, I find hugs in certain situations very uncomfortable, like in church services where any number of strangers hug you. I could also do without distant relatives hugging me, although I can tolerate and return hugs from them.

I wish I had someone to cuddle with.

The intimacy of a hug really depends on the person and context, but they are almost always awkward for me. Even hugging my own mother or father feels awkward. Mainly because I'm not exactly sure when to end the hug, and the close contact is really nerve-wracking most of the time, but I know that other people like hugs, so I try to oblige them.