Almost Crippling Sensory Problems (Adult)

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I did not learn that I had AS until my late twenties. I have always had "issues", and most troubling have been my severe sensory aversions to paper, metal and unfinished wood. I've learned ways to work around these; basically I avoid touching them if at all possible. I wear long sleeves when I know I'll need to write on paper, so I have a buffer between me and it. I never use pencil because the sound of anything against paper makes my teeth hurt and locks me right up. Dining out can be rough - metal utensils, paper placemats and napkins and napkin holders AAHHH!! Glass that isn't smooth, like frosted glass, also presents a major issue, though fortunately I don't encounter it much where I have to touch it. Certain suede materials also YUCK.

But here's the problem. Metal, paper and unfinished wood are EVERYWHERE. Hearing my husband turn the pages of his book beside me makes me cringe. God forbid someone's teeth hit a metal fork in my vicinity. I sat at dinner with a friend the other night who did this and the entire time I could barely speak and had my nails dug into my legs trying to keep my composure, it was horrid!

So the question is, at my age, what can I even do at this point? My sensory aversions are at least moderate and probably bordering on severe. I have no idea how to help myself other than avoidance, which just isn't always possible. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated.

God, I feel for you, I really do. There have been certain times in my life when my sensory stuff gets a lot worse, but I really can't tell you why.

All I can say is what my son's developmental ped says. She has been sooo helpful for him, that I really trust her. So I think what she would say is:

Get lots of proprioceptive input- namely exercise of whatever sort you enjoy the most, take little sensory breaks throughout the day -stretch, lift heavy objects, push, pull, or squeeze things.
Take omega 3-6-9
Watch your sugar and caffeine intake
Occupational therapy, but avoid anyone who wants to do brushing that is not controlled by you

I feel this too....unknown resolution. I cannot turn off my senses and my kinetic (touch sense) is very attenuated - seems as though yours if too. Can you transfer your tactile/kinetic sense elsewhere, like to visual mode? I can 'shift' some.

What is brushing?

I can't shift. I wish I could. I can cancel...I carry a koosh ball in my purse so when something gets me nutty while I'm out I can cancel the feeling. If I must touch paper, I can cancel the sensation by touching rubber or a very shiny, smooth plastic. The koosh ball works great.

The awful part is that I don't even need to physically encounter paper, metal or unfinished wood to produce the sensory response...I just need to think about it! Of course, some days and times are much worse than others. I can touch paper briefly, a good bit of the time. I couldn't go and repeatedly run my fingers across it or god forbid (cringe) my fingernails like some people seem to do as a nervous habit, playing with paper while the talk to you.

might be silly but at least for your hearing hypersensitivity maybe you could try a noise cancellation earpiece?

some can be programmed to prevent certain sounds from coming through.. like allow speech and other audibles through but high pitched or low tones are filtered out.

maybe what you have is not an aversion to hearing metal or wood but some frequency of the sound generated by those materials.

Omgosh i feel for you as well. I have bad bad sensory problems. As an adult, i know i cant do much for it. But i do buy myself sensory toys to help it out, like heres some good ones to look into...
http://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/ ... tile%20Mat

http://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/ ... 20x%2030cm

http://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/ ... %20Blanket

http://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/ ... lls%20Pair

http://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/ ... %20of%2012

http://www.therapyshoppe.com/product.ph ... af9fdbd2ef

http://www.southpawenterprises.com/stor ... roduct.asp

http://www.southpawenterprises.com/stor ... roduct.asp

http://www.southpawenterprises.com/stor ... tegory.asp

And this tells you more about sensory brushing...
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com ... tocol.html

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Being Normal Is Vastly Overrated

Mikomi, I thought about what you wrote. Age1600 is right on too. I know this might seem strange, and may not be appropriate at work, but can you wear surgical latex gloves when you're around a lot of paper? I am the Lab Pet, and I wear latex gloves a lot - part of what I do. But when I have worked in the soils lab I hate the feel of gritty particulates. I do not always have to wear those gloves, but I do since I certain textures feel uncomfortable - this really helps! If your co-workers already know of your 'difference' they shouldn't mind, or tease you, about this reasonable accommodation. laplantain had some novel information too - I did not know.

I guess, for me, diversions help, such as music. I work well in the lab with a radio on. Otherwise I use a digital metronome and stim a lot.

See, I'm not the only one who fears biting metal forks.

Wow thanks!

You know what I find so interesting about this? I have always LOVED being massaged. I would say more than love, I've needed to be massaged. I'm fortunate to have a husband who massages my back or feet when needed. It makes me a different person. I love the sensory input. My son appears to be the same. He seeks affection when stressed, mostly firm hugs. Despite being mostly non-verbal, he has learned to say hug and asks for them quite regularly. He will also lay contentedly still for me to put oatmeal lotion on him (for eczema) and seems to love it, especially on his legs and arms.