Questions About Sensory Issues

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Hi guys Like so many people who come to these forums, I am currently trying to find out if I may have Aspergers. After reading a description of AS in women, so many things in my life has seen to make so much more sense. After researching it for a couple weeks now, more and more things from my past seem to fit. And while there are tons of things that -do- fit, there are some things that I am just not sure about. I'll skip all the stuff that fits because I've got over 11 pages written out in a journal about those, for now I will just ask about one of the things that have been bothering me.

I guess the first thing I need to ask is about Sensory Overload. For those of you already diagnosed with AS, did you -know- that's what was happening to you before you were diagnosed? Or did you just feel angry a lot, or sad a lot, or something else?

I know that there are sensory things that people with AS have a hard time with, or don't like, but are there things they really like because of sensory things as well?

For instance, I refuse to eat a whole lot of things because I can't stand the way they feel in my mouth. I've always been like this. However, there are things that I eat WAY too much of because I love the way they feel in my mouth. I go through a box of triscuits every two days because I love their texture and they way they snap in my mouth (It used to be worse, a whole box every day!).

When I was little my mom would get so mad at me when we tried on shoes or clothes because I would yell at her to get them off of me and then throw/rip them off myself lol.

However things I've read about like bright sunshine, sure I have to squint on really bright days, but doesn't everyone? And I hate it when people talk over the radio, my dad does it a lot and I just cant bring myself to have a conversation that way, I have a hard time concentrating I guess, but I feel like that's a pretty normal thing too.

And as for causing me pain like I've read so much about, I guess I have a hard time understanding that concept. I don't know if this is because it's not a problem, or because I have a very high pain tolerance (I know this is a possible symptom, but it's also something I've given lots of thought to and wondered about before I even read about AS.), or because I just don't understand what it is I am feeling (totally possible since I usually can't explain how I'm feeling to anyone anyways!)

I've done a lot of reading but haven't really some across any answers to my questions, so if anyone has any input that would be great. Thanks!

A little bit of background maybe:
I'm a 24 year old girl, I was diagnosed with tourettes when I was very little, and I have a young cousin who was diagnosed with AS a while back, and my mom has always assumed her dad had it (on the same side as the cousin btw). I never gave any thought to the fact that I might have it until recently however.

Hi lepierce 3. Good question. You will find that some people can make snow angels bareback; you'll find that some people freak out if any one touches them. A lot of people have an aversion to light, more some than others. (You'd swear half of all aspies are vampires!) There's a guy on here that can't wear corduroy pants. The feel of it irritates him to death. I can't take the intense sounds of an urban city like The Bronx. The sound (and squeals of the trains), the dazzling multi-coloured lights & displays, the honking horns, the screaming people, the noisy billboards & endless graffiti just rips me to shreds. There's another girl on here who is 18 years old and wears ear protectors all day. Yeah, it sucks, but its part of the diagnosis.

Hi, I'll have a go at answering your questions but can only give you my experience/opinion.

I didn't know what it was called and was so out of touch with my feelings that I did not know how I felt in response, but yes I was aware of this before AS got mentioned. Essentially I would just hate the situation and start to really struggle to process information in that environment. Now I notice I can get irritated, frustrated, angry and overwhelmed in response to sensory overload, and my brain seems to enter some sort of shutdown processs where it becomes very difficult or impossible to process new information.

Yes, I dislike somethings, like I tensed every time my physio touched me until I got used to it and I am picky about clothes textures etc. however there are other things I really like, such as water and wind.

Yeah, most people squint or wear sunglasses on sunny days. My difference is I may need to wear sunglasses on an overcast day, or indoors, or sitting indoors by a window etc. this sort of use is not normal.
Regarding your radio example, I think I understand what you are asking. Yes, a lot of people have some degree of difficulty filtering noise and focusing on one source of auditory input, however my problems are extreme compared to most peoples, for example I can hear multiple sources of noise clearly, no filtering, which can compete or merge with eachother, even when I know what I want to be focusing on. E.g. in group situations I can hear every conversation around me at equal intensity.

I think my relationship with pain is a bit abnormal due to other factors, so can't help here.

That makes me laugh! My mom used to make jokes that I was a vampire because of my odd sleeping habits, aversion toward the sun and resulting pale skin.

You will find that some with AS are hypersensitive, while others are hyposensitive. You don't need to feel pain when exposed to bright light in order to have AS. I personally don't have a big issue with bright lights, but am extremely sensitive to hot or cold, so still avoid super sunny days.

The out of touch with feelings things is exactly how I have always felt. When I think about how I feel I just picture myself standing in the middle of a tornado a lot of the time. I also get really angry a lot, and a sometimes there's just no justifiable reason for it, at least that I can see. I'm not really sure if I struggle to process information though, I think I might just get so wrapped up in being angry or uncomfortable that it's all I think about, so I tend to ignore it? I'm not really sure though...




I guess my confusion here is exactly how much is 'extreme'? I've seen that word around a lot during my research, but I can't figure out if things I'm feeling are extreme or not? I'm thinking of the last time this happened. It's hard to explain. I think maybe I can understand what you're saying about the no filtering thing, it's like everything is coming at you at once?

Hmm...I often seem to be sweating like crazy when the rest of my family is fine, or super cold when they are fine too, I guess I might be the same way

Also, I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I am constantly changing the temp in my car to keep it just right haha. (oh and each setting smells different to there's that bonus too haha)

LOL my sister used to call me a bat because I sleep all day and stay up all night hahaha xD I think I'd rather be a vampire xD

I have problems with anger too, though have put a lot of work into them so they are much less than they were. About there being no justifiable reason, I think it is more the accumulation of the situation/s as well as the sensory/communication/social problems that I was not adequately recognising that were contributing to this. I think it was also a tool to keep other people away a bit - at a distance, so that I could have the space I wanted. Are you wanting more explanation about what I mean when I say struggle to process information?



I've got more information about auditory processing, PM me if you would like me to give you the info, its a bit much for here. Essentially I think a lot of AS problems are problems that other people may have individually (e.g. someone may be sensitive to light, or have trouble interpreting others non-verbal communication) but AS is diffrentiated by the combination of problems and by the intensity (extremeness) of the problems. I think. I guess to figure out whether your experience is extreme you need to talk to people, to find out their experience and how yours compares to theirs. I honestly had no idea that the way I experienced things was so different from others before. I think also a gauge of extremeness is the extent to which it causes problems, for example due to sensory issues I struggle with the amount of noise and visual distraction in an exam room, to the extent where I will be sitting my next lot of exams in a different room with fewer people.

That is interesting, I have noticed that my internal heating system seems out of sync with everyone elses. I'm constantly putting on and taking of layers, or hot when others are cold or cold when others are warm etc. I also am not very good at identifying when I am hot or cold until I am really hot or really cold, never thought this has any connection with AS though.

Regarding sleeping during the day and being awake at night, I dont know if this is relevent to you or if you have already come across this, reasarch has found that many with ASD have inadequate melatonin production (melatonin is produced by your body at night to cause you to be sleepy, light kills melatonin).