SENSORY PROBLEMS- Do share yours

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I share most of those. Also the sudden loud phone makes me jump and want to punch something. And when car alarms/burgular alarms go off and continue repetitively for ages, it makes me want to go over there.
Children squealing definitely makes me feel stressed because it's too high pitched, it cuts through any attempt to ignore it.

Temperature: This is a big one I forgot to mention. I've always been much too sensitive to the cold. Too much heat here is rare, but I've noticed I feel odd and panicky during heat waves.

Smell (more to add): I remember at school, the smells would make me nauseous every day, particularly food smells. I hate the smell of fish and was in a fish shop briefly when I was 14 and felt on the verge of throwing up for the rest of that afternoon.

The ambiance of places can be altered drastically by a smell or a certain music score. I've often been brought to the verge of panic or vomiting by these things.

I don't have a lot of sensory problems, but I'm not fond of unexpected touch (and therefore not of crowds). I usually react a bit "more" than other people would do. But I don't mind touch that I can see coming, or hugs (which I like ).

I remember that some years ago an old lady I knew well from the church came up to me and gave me a hug, from the side so to speak, but I didn't see it come and found it uncomfortable, so I made myself free of her quickly and went away in a hurry!
At that time I didn't know about Asperger's Syndrome or sensory issues, so I had a very bad consciousness afterwards and felt like I had rejected her kindness.
If it had happened today, I wouldn't have run away, but told her to "warn" me on beforehand.

I also remember that my sisters, apparently for the same reason, told me that I had "contact paranoia", still without any of us knowing why.

Compared to many of you, I'm insensitive. I usually don't experience olfactory issues, but the rendering department of a beef packing plant that I used to work at, was most definitely an exception. A lot of public restrooms are starting to remove paper towel dispensers and replace them with hot air blowers, and the sound those things make is very piercing. I have to hold my ears to endure it. In a public building I was in yesterday, it was a combination of that plus the door closer was malfunctioning so the door slammed every time someone walked inside, which was frequently since it was one of the courthouses in Dallas Texas. For me, a visit to the Men's room was a very nerve fraying experience, but everyone else there didn't seem to be particularly bothered by it so I didn't say anything.

I don't ever experience meltdown from sensory over stimulation, but I can get mighty perturbed by it.

Sight: Like many others, I have to wear dark sunglasses when I go outside, even if it's cloudy. I get a few weird looks, but that's about it.

Sound: Don't like loud noises except for music. I work in a datacenter that is pretty loud so I wear earplugs or earphones whenever I go in there. However, when I listen to music, I always turn that up loud. I like it to seem all encompassing. If it doesn't drown out other sounds, it's not loud enough.

Touch: For the most part, I don't like being touched. I don't mind a quick handshake or a pat on the shoulder depending on circumstances, but that's about it. I think I'm a romantic so if I ever get a girlfriend (I've never had one) I imagine I would really like hugging her or making physical contact, but, since I've never been in that position, I really can't say. Not a huge fan of getting hugs from family members and never have been. I'm also a stickler about clothes. I wouldn't wear jeans until I was in high school because I couldn't stand the texture. Even now, when they come out of the wash/dryer, they seem so stiff and coarse that I cringe when I put them on. I hate wearing suits or dress clothes. Slacks are ok, but stiff shirts and ties drive me nuts. I'm also very sensitive to pain. I can stub my toe and I have a hard time walking for a few days.

Taste: Not sure I have anything out of the ordinary here. There's foods I like and foods I don't. I don't like raw tomatoes or carrots.

Smell: Again, nothing unusual here. I have a pretty distinct sense of smell, but can't say I'm repulsed by anything that wouldn't repulse normal people.

I don't experience issues, but I have noticed that my sense of smell is a bit different than most people's. For instance, every building to me has a smell to it that is entirely unique to that building. I don't know why this is, because presumably many buildings are built with the same materials. From what I've gathered, most people don't notice this. Also, just the other day I noticed the smell of burnt toast wafting from the cafeteria. When I made a comment to my co-worker about it, he sort of stared at me and said, "It's really strange that you noticed that. I wouldn't have noticed that if you hadn't pointed it out." Strangely, I never really thought about my olfactory senses being at all acute until I came to WP...


Those turbo charged ones? Gaaah, I hate those! I don't mind the older style ones that you can flip up to dry your face... those aren't so bad. But these new "exhilirators" or whatever it is they're called: absolutely obnoxious.


Music being blasted at me (particularly if it's smooth jazz) is most unwelcome. I've been known to hold my ears, or if I'm waiting for the leader to activate a conference call, I will hang up and dial again in 2 minutes rather than be subjected to hold music.

I used to be much more sensitive to loud and startling noises as a kid. My mother couldn't run the vacuum when I was home, I couldn't be in the basement in the winter for fear the furnace might "light up" and make that horrible whooshing sound, or in the kitchen when the dishwasher was going. I cut out many tags in my clothing, too, and ate all of the courses of my meals completely separately. All that is gone now.

Some establishments have started using classical music for their hold music, and I sometimes find myself wishing they would leave me on hold for a few more bars before the operator gets back on.

I love scented candles, though I am allergic to some of them. Some of the scents of scented candles are very stimulating. I don't recall at the moment any touches that are overwhelming, but many are very stimulating. There is something about touching a person with the arch of my foot that gives me a high of sorts. I think that is just weird, and it's my experience. I feel a person's essence when I hug them, and whether I have hugged them or not, often it feels like they left the feel of their being behind after they have walked away. I have no aversion to surprise hugs as long as the person feels safe. I'm happy with about any port in the storm. It does kind of bother me however when the person I am hugging is so thin that they feel like they are a bag of bones. I am usually rather stand offish, but I occasionally spring hugs on others who feel like they would be receptive to them. Respecting others personal space is very important to me.

Someone mentioned loud music. I have very sensitive hearing. When I take hearing tests, the audiologist even comments on the sensitivity of my hearing, especially for age 59. I am very conscious of making certain that I don't expose my ears to too many decibels. I kind of like having sensitive hearing. On the other hand, on music that is stimulating, increasing the volume intensifies the stimulation in spades, but for me it reaches overwhelming much sooner than what I would expect would be damaging. I have problems with outdoor rock concerts. I practically have to be totally out of the park to be far enough away from the source that the decibel level is uncomfortably loud.

Yes. I'd prefer that to smooth jazz, but I'd prefer just the occasional "please stay on the line" comment to either.


I have to say that I've never had a problem giving or receiving hugs, even as a kid when my AS traits were more pronounced. If anything I was overly affectionate. In my primary social group (contra dancing), we give out hugs pretty liberally.


Me too. I apparently shocked one of the people conducting the test when she said, with a look of complete surprise on her face as if she'd never seen it before, "You have perfect hearing!"


Why do they need to crank up the music so loudly, anyways? You'd think it would be unbearable for everyone there, unless they are all bordering on deaf from attending too many rock concerts.

Sound: I can't stand beeping noises. Like alarms, microwaves, that kind of thing. When there's one on a commercial I HAVE to mute the TV or I get irrationally pissed off by it.. it's just way too overstimulating for me. Any super high, piercing noise or super low, almost vibrating noise.. and people with voices that sound gravelly, like they need to clear their throat.

Sight: Blinking or flashing bugs me, but not too badly. Oddly enough I get irritated when I see people that wear clothing that's too small on them.. I'm not really sure why it bothers me so badly. Also having blurry vision. Usually I have very clear vision, no need for glasses or anything, but if I'm looking through a dirty window or dirty sunglasses or something I have to rub my eyes.

Touch: I hate being tickled. This seems to be the way that any boy that likes me touches me. I am a big girl and so I don't really like people touching me (and discovering just how big I am despite clothing that I think camouflages well) anyway, but hands on my stomach really freak me out. I can deal with hugs, I was in an anime club for a long time and you can't not like hugs there, heh.

Taste: It's hard to describe what tastes I dislike. I am a super picky eater, certain textures make me want to throw up, like onions. As I've had to tell my chef-boyfriend several times, I pretty much eat like a little kid. Toddler menu? Perfect. Mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, that kinda thing.

Smell: Any strong smell will bother me when I don't feel well. I can have just a basic little tummy ache but if I smell mayonnaise or certain cheeses or someone's perfume, it makes it 100 times worse.

I am super sensitive to so many things. I only recently figured out that I must have AS and it's so nice to know that I'm not the only one that can't stand things just 'cause!

Sound: Shrill or impromptu loud noises. The examples of each would be the tornado sirens at my school. They will go off if there is lightning in the vicinity, regardless of whether or not a funnel cloud/tornado has been spotted. An example of the latter would be some evangelical pastors (especially in some of the Pentecostal denominations) talking super loudly in their sermons. This was part of the reason I chose Lutheranism.

Smell: Overcame all of them.

Sight: Overcame all of them.

Taste: I used to have issues with the grittiness of ground beef, and pears. I still don't eat pears, but ever since the Carl's Jr. opened up in my town, I have become hooked on the Six Dollar burgers.

Touch: Hot, stuffy rooms, especially when I am trying to sleep. Thank goodness for air conditioning, though. Especially this summer, when it got up to 112 degrees here one day, and it has been at least 100 degrees every day for the past 30 or 40 days.

Oh God, ground beef. It's good on the rare occasions I eat it, but I hate when it's cooked fast on high heat and it tenses up. It's so disgusting to chew then, and feel tough and springy between my teeth.

Ewww. That's why I only eat ground turkey - the lean stuff. No weird chunks like in the super cheap ground beef. Also I can't stand uncooked meat, in general. Just how it looks. Raw chicken is like meat-jello. Blech.

I agree. I love when they play classical music, since that is my top preference. My doctor's office used to play this truly awful canned music, just one segment, over and over. Worse, it would become an ear worm, and keep bugging me for the rest of the day!

I am this way with certain scents. I wonder if that is a sort of stimming?


You have described exactly what I have had trouble explaining, to people that don't understand why I am not always open to hugs. If I really like the person, or trust them, I don't mind that "essence" hanging around. But if they are a stranger, or I dislike them, it is an unwanted intrusion on my senses, that just won't quit.
The worst is when I used to go for chiropractic adjustments. There is one maneuver that they do, that is just like a hug when they re-align the upper vertebrae, and leaves that unpleasant "residue" of themselves. This would hang on until I washed and changed clothing.

I don't know. What does stimming accomplish? I am very very stimulation driven. I have a need to be always striving to push my level of stimulation to as intense as I can without it getting overwhelming. I get a real high from intensity. I guess if certain scents are stimulating, then I suppose it's a form of stimming but it is automatic stimming you might say. I don't need to do anything anything to accomplish it, other than sniff.


I was talking about a person's vibe which is perceived by feeling as opposed to a person's odor which is perceived by smelling, but I suppose the dynamics are the same. I experience this often with people who smoke.

And uncooked meat can be dangerous, especially given the recent salmonella and e.coli scares.

I learned in a public administration class that the FDA is very underregulated.

That's what I meant, too. That their vibe hangs around long after the interaction. I found that the physical act of washing and changing my clothes seemed to take away that vibe. I had read about doing this, in a book about being sensitive to things like vibes from other people.