Sensory sensitivites

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Hi. First, list your sensitivity(ies).

Second, answer me this, can NT's also become nauseated, or get a headache from smells and have these sensitivities?



When someone touches or hugs me unexpectedly, I feel very timid and nervous. I will generally stare at their hand/them in disbelief and kind of freeze up. I have to be the one to initiate contact.

Both the smell of cigarettes on a person and ammonia makes me nauseous. Cigarette smoke makes me sneeze and gives me a headache, but I think that's sinuses. Chemical smells give me a headache.

I usually have to squint my eyes from the sun when others don't.

Loud unexpected noises make me angry because I instantly feel threatened.

When a vacuum is on it makes me feel nervous and I try to get away from it.

I can't stand my socks not being put on correctly. I have to remove tags from clothing, but I thought this was normal.

I can't concentrate if music is playing anything but softly and I can't comprehend what I'm reading with noise around me.

String beans tee me off. And, anything grainy.

The following aren't sensitivities, kind of the opposite.
I have an incredibly high pain tolerance and I can go out in very cold temperatures without feeling cold.

Im sensitive to sound, i HATE HATE HATE the sound of cars, it can cause a meltdown, i also have a fear of balloons due to the popping being way too loud. And i have a light sensitivity which makes it hard to read, the light sensitivity causes letters and numbers in a book to "vibrate" but once the light is dim reading becomes easier. I tend to have shutdowns in situations and enviroments like malls and parties, the shutdown makes everything feel like a dream and talking and understanding what people say becomes 10x harder, and doing simple tasks is even more slow.

My Neurotypical Cousin has a hearing sensitivity, he really hates loud noises, even if they arent that loud to begin with, hes constantly covering his ears. Other than that a typically developing child. i have another cousin thats really sensitive to sound too. Sensory Sensitivities isnt a autistic exclusive thing. Some people just find lights too bright or sounds too loud, its when the sensitivity interferes with the ability to function normally or causes distress then its a problem.

Edit: I forgot, i also cant eat a wide varity of things, i drown almost everything in either ketchup, syrup, or sugar. My sensitiity to touch isnt so bad, just my ankles cant be touched or skin on skin for that matter. i also cant wear very much... maybe it is a problem...Smell is hypo sensitive, i can never smell a damn thing.

I have a few.

I'm sensitive to sunlight and some other bright lights and often have to squint if I'm outside during the day. Most traffic sounds don't bother me (big trucks passing by can put me ever-so-slightly on edge though). Engine-revving and loud motorcycles, however, make me extremely anxious and can be outright terrifying if loud or sudden enough. I really can't say much about sensitivities to other sounds, except that it seems like I'm less bothered by noises like fire alarms than most people.

I seem to be hyposensitive to some smells. When I was in middle school and rode the school bus, people would often make a huge deal about it when someone would start spraying perfume or cologne but it never bothered me and I didn't understand why it upset so many others.

I also dislike certain foods touching. As for foods themselves, I can't think of any. I am not and have never been a picky eater.

In most circumstances, I dislike being touched and, when I was a child, I rejected hugs and kisses. Today, I can handle them but they're still uncomfortable. However, when I was with my ex-girlfriend, I didn't mind her touching me. :p

After writing all this out, it seems I have more "sensory issues" than I actually realised, but they're mostly so mild that I'm not terribly bothered by them, beyond mild annoyance.

Last edited by Grahzmann on 20 Dec 2015, 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Most of my sensory sensitivity is light. I often have to squint my eyes or rub my eyes. Loud noises make me uncomfortable too, especially unexpected ones.

1) Eating sounds like smacking (even my dogs eating), finger licking, or silverware clanking on bowls. These sounds trigger a strong emotional reaction of anger.

2) I also get antsy and irritated when someone is vacuuming.

3) Sniffling, blowing noses, or any sound related to mucus. I experience the same emotional reaction of anger when I hear any of those sounds. I get really upset if people make these sounds while I'm eating. It ruins the experience for me.

4) Too much light is painful. I prefer mellow lighting and cloudy days. Fluorescent lighting is best avoided

5) I have tactile sensitivities on my neck and feet. I still break out laughing if my wife kisses me on the neck. Socks have to be aligned properly and must be up to my shins. Don't like them touching my ankles. Don't like to cut my nails but it's not as bad as when I was a kid. Hate the feel of wool.

6) Very sensitive to certain odors. I can smell natural gas before most people.

7) Heavy wind and wind related noises freak me out. Not sure why.

Sound
Dogs Barking, loud phone ringing.

Touch
I react to any touch from the neck up as if I have been shocked, especially on my back side and unexpected. This puts people off and has almost resulted in me getting into a fight.

Smell
Lately it seems everybody has bad breath. So much effort to try and not choke. If have a very good idea what the change that caused or brought it forward is.

Lights are unreasonably bright. All of them. I wear sunglasses at pretty much all times.
Sound is an issue sometimes, I can't do high pitched sounds. Volume doesn't matter much, but pitch really hurts me, like whistling or the fire alarm in my building. It's sometimes good though because certain sounds, certain types of music especially are extra good for me.
I'm very sensitive to touch, especially if I don't see it coming or I don't know a person very well. Certain parts of my body are worse as well, my ribs being the absolute worst. Sometimes I come across a person I don't mind touching me and I don't always know why. This one can be good too though for similar reasons, I love soft things and warm things and pressure is very soothing.

I'm pretty sure NTs get headaches and nausea from smell, but it's usually strong smells or things that are supposed to make you nauseous, like actual vomit.

Extreme tactile sensitivities. I sometimes change clothing multiple times a day because I can't get comfortable. I can't sleep because I feel every wrinkle in the sheets, pillow, comforter. If something is touching my feet, or restricting my movement, I panic and can't relax. I hate being touched unless I am specifically in the mood to be touched. I hate kissing. I hate wearing shoes.

I hate strong smells. Most people get used to smells after awhile and stop smelling them but not me. Strong or bad smells give me headaches. I tend to think many people smell bad.

I hate loud noises and they make me panic. These noises are usually motors or machines like blenders, chainsaws, power tools, but also loud music (unless it's music I like and if I feel like listening to loud music). I hate crowds. Too much chaos. I can't understand at all what people are saying if there is background noise either. Even when it is a softer noise I can't filter it out.

I used to be very sensitive to tastes and textures of food but that has gotten much better.

Eating sounds! Boo radley mentioned eating sounds and I completely forgot about that. I have to leave the room very often when others are eating. I get so upset it's just easier to wait until they finish, and if I'm eating with others I sit as far way as possible and turn away to try to ignore them.

As far as NTs with sensory defensiveness, I think they exist, but they aren't exactly NTs. They often have some neurogical differences but not enough to be considered to have a "disorder". People with sensory sensitivities can't filter out things the brain was designed to filter out in order to function so I don't believe that people with these problems are really typical, even without a diagnosis.

Hypersensitive to high pitched sounds, like squeaky brakes on cars, bird song and bat calls (social calls are below 20khz).

And yesterday I stood in line at the bakery counter on the new organic supermarket, which, compared to the old one, is an aspie's nightmare. The woman behind the counter turned on the grain-mill to freshly grind wheat for a customer.
And I nearly started crying. The noise felt like it was .. Interrupting anything my brain was doing and made it go to red alert instead. Red alert awaiting further commands, which would be drowned out by the grinding sound.

misophonia - often used interchangeably with the term selective sound sensitivity.

http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/hearing/misophonia-spd.php




(I also have all sorts of other auditory sensitivities, along with visual, taste and smell ones. Very few for touch, which is odd b/c as a child & pre hrt I was exceedingly touch sensitive in very particular / ideosyncratic ways)

I am overly sensitive to smells, like cigarettes and coffee. I have never tried either as a result and can't even stand to be near anyone who has smoked. I even used to make my friend change her clothes when she came over because her mother smoked and the 3rd hand smoke that clinged to her clothes was so irritating to me. The smell of cigarettes gives me headaches nearly every time, and it also triggers my asthma which is otherwise not a problem.

I am very sensitive to temperature and change in temperature, especially cold. I tend to wear clothes that others would wear if it were 10-20°C colder than it is when I pick out what to wear.

I used to freak out as a kid if someone touched me, like a tap on the shoulder or anything. I hate being touched unless I initiate it.

High frequency sounds or loud sounds make me want to plug my ears as they feel like sharp daggers being rammed into my head. I can't stand noisy environments like bars or clubs and refuse to go to them.

I used to be really sensitive to textures of foods which made me a really picky eater as a kid, but it has got better over the years. Sometimes I even did some forms of CBT exposure therapy to try expand my taste pallet past the unpleasant sensations and anxiety certain textures would cause.

I have ripped off every tag on every shirt I have ever owned. I buy clothes for how they feel over how they look. I cannot tolerate regular socks with the seems near the toe nails, I refuse to wear those. I can only wear socks where the seam has been moved. Even the smallest wrinkle may cause me to have to put on and take off my shoes like 5 times before I can actually go anywhere. I refuse to wear wool because it drives me nuts and fleece feels like it is constantly saturated in sweat and filth. I am so tactilely sensitive that I sleep with 8 layers of blankets, even in the summer. I struggle a lot with sleep as well because of all the temperature and touch sensitivites, it can take forever to get comfortable enough.

Light. I hate lights. Not a big fan of the daytime.

I have trouble getting comfortable in bed (And other times, but bedtime is the worst) because I can't stand for the hair on my body to get pushed 'the wrong way'. I have to get in between the covers and then move my arms and head until all hair is not being twisted into a different direction. I can't even scratch my wife's back in bed unless her back is out of the covers, which makes her cold. It just rubs my arm hair all wrong.

Certain sounds. Certain high pitched sounds, but not limited to them. For instance can listen to most ROCK music without trouble, but put on Minnie Ripperton, Mariah Carey and any of the other singers that try to break the glass when they sing just hurts me ears to no end. It's just random pitches and tones. Certain voices really grate on me. Usually the 'trumpet like' voices. One girlfriend I had in High School had that type of voice. Let's just say that it did not last and there were other 'qualities' that overrode that situation for a short while. It was ok when she spoke softly, but when she projected, it was like hearing the horns at Jericho. Certain motor sounds really bug the crap out of me. Can't stand the sound of Motorcycles. But that is mostly in real life. I think movies and TV modulate it so much and a lot is lost in recording and playback that it is not so bothersome then.

Smells. Some really nauseate me and can even stifle my breathing. Usually cleaners and other chemical type of smells. Certain foods can really set me off and it's not the usual culprits. But, fortunately, my sense of smell is really crappy, so I am spared some of that.

Certain foods (taste is fine though). A pear would be a good example. I like the taste of pear, but cannot eat a pear. Grainy seems to be the thing there. But, I have eaten certain foods that just make me gag immediately. Had this trouble recently. Love my stepfather's cooking. But he made something one day that just really hit me wrong and I had to spit it out while gagging. I felt so bad because I could see the hurt (It was that extreme of a reaction from him) in his face. Really bothered me because I hate that I offended him. I really like my in laws.

Certain color combinations just make my eyes vibrate. I have no other way to describe it.

Crowds. That overwhelming crush of people can be bad. Can't stand to leave my apartment in NYC because of the noise and crush of people every day. Got triple whammied today shopping with my father. The crowds, sirens and flashing lights actually reversed a bit of a calming period I'd experienced being away from the city for a few days, and it went downhill fast after that.

I can't stand new clothes. They have to be washed a bunch before they start to feel comfortable. And, as mentioned before, when I buy my clothes, it's for comfort. Of course, certain civil protocols must be adhered to such as suits when doing certain types of business. Hate that with a passion because I can't stand anything close on my throat or around my throat. Feels like I'm either being choked or gagging on something deep inside. I prefer natural fiber vs. Synthetic, but wool is out. Too damned itchy. Socks can be bothersome unless I get the seam in that gap between the ball of the foot and the toes. That part that doesn't put pressure on the seam. I too have to put them on a few times to get it right.

Certain color combinations do seem to vibrate if they are complementary colors. Artists have used it to create interesting effects. Perhaps you are more sensitive to these effects than most. I'd be interested to know what color combinations do you find most irritating?

I wish NTs would better understand our sensory problems, but they seem to like to take advantage of them instead. I'm very sensitive to pain, so the kids in elementary school thought it was the funniest thing to repeatedly poke me every chance they got, and the teachers just told me to stop being dramatic when I told them about it.

As for my other sensory issues, I can't write on paper with markers. The texture is unbearable. The same goes with chalkboards; there were times when we had to do math problems on chalkboards, and teachers thought I was just trying to get out doing the problems when I said I couldn't go up there.

My ears are hypersensitive as well. Fire alarms are horrific, and I can only imagine the teasing I'm going to have to endure when I live in a dorm and people see me plugging my ears when the alarm goes off. There were times in school when teachers told me get my fingers out of my ears during fire drills, the reason for which I'm not sure. Auditory Processing Disorder keeps me from being able to understand whispered conversations, though; we can't have anything positive come from this sensitivity!

My smell and taste makes my food preferences extremely limited. I want to be healthy, but it's next to impossible when almost all food smells and tastes repugnant.

Sight isn't really a problem sensory-wise; at least I don't think it is. I wear glasses (which my OCD makes me clean every time there's a speck of dust on them), but my vision is decent enough, and I don't seem to be fazed by lights any more than the average NT (unless it's for an EEG; those things are torturous).

I'm well aware of that since I am a commercial artist. But, it's not the complimentary color combos that get me. It's others that set my eyes afire. It's certain reds or greens or blues. Nothing in the secondary or tertiary ladder, whether you use the additive or subtractive color spaces. And, it is just certain tones of color. Alone, those tones are fine, just certain color combinations that stab my eyes. I have no trouble with black light posters or anything like that.
And, I may very well be sensitive to it more than the average person though.

I find that really interesting. I went to school for art myself for awhile. I do dislike certain color combos but not enough to really bother me unless it's all surrounding me, or something I'd have to look at regularly. I wonder if there have been any studies on color sensitivities and what the causes might be. Bright colors probably bother many people as they can be distracting, but very specific colors and combinations is something I haven't heard of before. I did research for a project (that I never finished) in high school about color and how it affects mood, but this is probably unrelated.