Feeling and touching things

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I am very new here so it is entirely possible that this has been asked before....I am curious if others find the "urge" to touch things just to feel them, to know what the surface of an object feels like. To test the texture.
I know when I was young, my mom would get iratated because in a store I would need to touch everything, of course I still do this. Esp. fabrics. But I also want to feel metals, glass objects (mom hated that) and pretty much anything that might look different. Even now at 43, girlfriends keep wondering why I need to touch everything in the store or other places.
..or perhaps I am just weird.

No, I don't think you're weird, and I also think that this is common with the AS population. At least with our kids -- my son still has to touch everything (he's 12). I think it's part curiosity, part having to scientifically know how something feels.

Welcome to WP. I'm like this also, but I don't know if it has anything to do with As. I just wanted to say I like your given location. That's still my favorite Christmas story, because all of the different misfit characters are eventually understood and accepted. While all the other kids were focused on the rain deer, I noticed the elf who wanted to be a dentist, the abominable snowman, and the misfit toys. It's a common theme. Sorry if I got off topic a bit.

I do this a lot, but only with things I know or think I will like the texture of. I feel things in clothing and fabric stores that look soft, and I ask to pet every dog I meet on the street. In my more awkward moments, I've attempted to feel people's hair, but usually stop once I realize how strange it must seem. I'm not so much testing it, as I pretty much know how it will feel. Just, fuzzy things make me happy, so I like to touch them whenever I get the chance.

Some people are just more tactile than others. Things seem more real to me if I touch them, so I like to touch, too, but not people because of how they might react.

Fabric stores are good places for that, because everyone likes to touch the fabric, so you're normal.

I've noticed this about myself as well. For me it has to do with just pure curiosity, whether it is AS related i dont know. When i was younger i thought nothing about it and i would go to friend's houses and touch stuff. I realize now that was not cool but i couldnt help myself at the time

Some textures i just love and cant resist like suede, glassy surfaces, and shammy clothes. But its not always about the texture. I just like touching things i guess.

I did this all the time as a kid. I would get told "don't touch" but I always had to touch it. It would drive me crazy if I didn't. I had to work on it when I was 12 and it got easier. I am much better at it now. I still touch things sometimes, even if the sign says "Don't touch."

yes im a huge texture fan, i touch everrrrrything... especially if its a rubbery thing, then i become obsessed with it. so ur not alone heheh.

I might be mistaken, but I strongly suspect a fascination with the tactile quality of objects is an example of preoccupation with 'non-functional' parts of objects.

Nope not weird.
My son (HFA) has only very recently stopped licking things he is also better in shops once I gave him a little 'tool to cope'. Once I told him to 'give your hands a cuddle' (clasp your hands together) he would do that and not touch everything. He no longer needs to do 'hand cuddles' but still needs to be carefully watched.

I am exactly like Age1600 I especially focus on fabrics, moreso on rubbery things. I can probably bet i will want to go to one of those kink shops when i turn 18 because they have lots of rubber clothing there... I think i might make my entire wardrobe neoprene rubber latex and PVC and rubberized nylon. nothing else!

I can't wear things that are too clingy, must be loose. So rubber, vinyl or neoprene would be out.
I also can't wear shirts with tags on the collars. REMOVE THEM!! Can't stand the feeling of them touching me. Thank you to companies that print the tag on the inside of T-shirts.

I'm always touching things too. Especially fabrics or textiles of any kind. I love smooth textures.

When I was shopping for my laptop, I was very glad that Consumer Reports had mentioned that some people didn't like the "grainy" texture on the new Compaqs' keyboards. I touched those things and actually had to wipe my hands on my jeans because the sensation was so horrible!

I love REALLY clingy things, i am not a fan of loose lol... rubber vinyl neoprene latex all are my close friends.

i hate tags though, nice thing is most neoprene / rubber / vinyl / latex has no tags

I'm 46 & I still have the urge to touch! Mostly it's fabrics. If I see an article of clothing I like, I have to feel the fabric. It's either an instant like or hatred (no inbetween!). I also had to touch the crystalized snow in Yosemite. Grew up in the LA area, no snow here especially the type that looks like crystals. I also despise tags in clothing...doesn't matter which article or where the tag is located, they MUST be removed immediately! Garments cannot go tagless soon enough for me! Some of my clothes have spandex, closest thing I can tolerate to neoprene or latex.

am think it's a trait relating to anyone who is sensory atypical.

am seek out touch often with fingers and back of hand and also use touch to understand what objects are as vision is often black [blind] or a mess of colour because of sensory scrambling.