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Does anyone else want to be touched all the time?

I don't like strangers touching me but I think that's normal. I remember when I was younger I was in a daydream in the middle of a grocery store and all of a sudden I felt two hands gently touch my waist from behind with a soft "excuse me, dear, can I get by?" said near my ear. It was only a little old lady being polite but I felt irritated and had to pretend I wasn't, as she wasn't doing anything bad. But it was still irritating, even though I always like to be respectful of elderly people.

I'm saving up for a spa day so I can get a massage on my back. I just hope you don't have to make conversation while being massaged, because when I'm being massaged I like to relax all over and just daydream and enjoy the feeling.
I like getting my hair cut but I always feel guilty and even embarrassed because I'm not chatting about my life to the hairdresser while everyone around me are chatting to their hairdressers. But I can't always hear, I can't really relax in a conversation if I'm not looking directly at someone, I don't want everyone hearing my business, and I like to use that time to RELAX. I wish I could close my eyes but then I'd be afraid of people thinking I have fallen asleep and might even get the hairdresser to wake me up or something.
 
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If someone put their hand on me to console me I'd likely deck them, even if I knew them.

Touch is for my partner or Osteo / RMT only.
I've known my Osteo and RMT for decades and won't go to randos.
 
The only reason why I didn't deck the person who touched me when I wasn't expecting it was because I was in freeze mode. It could've just as easily been fight mode. They were lucky.

People need to learn to respect others' personal boundaries. It's never too late to learn new ways of showing respect if, somehow, one has never learned about personal space before. Those who have PTSD can be seriously triggered by unexpected touch. People don't have the right to touch others without their permission, especially strangers. It's rude or worse.
 
My dog can lick me on the hand or face sometimes, especially when she's greeting me at the door, but I like her more than most people, including most members of my family. She's cuter, sweeter, smarter, and, generally, better behaved.
 
My dog has never even tried to lick me. He'll jump up, but no licks.
MR's dog just wags but he's a Beagle so not quite as mobile.

:)

One of my kittens tried to lick coconut oil off my leg once but she learned really quickly that wasn't appropriate, not just because it's gross but because it's unhealthy for pets to eat oils like that.
 
I hate being touched by strangers, but when I'm comfortable with friends (and my significant other), I love being hugged, cuddled, having my hair brushed and braided, having my makeup and nails done, being massaged, having someone help me stretch my neck and back, etc. I'm very touch-friendly with people I love.

Not strangers or acquaintances though, they can back off lol. Unless it's a technician doing my nails or hair or lashes, then that's acceptable.

I'm not a person who really likes being vulnerable so I only like physical affection from people I'm close with, or if it's a professional doing a necessary procedure.
 
Hmm. I don’t like it whenever my hair is played with, I just don’t. I also don’t like getting tickled for that manner. But I do like giving hugs if the other person agrees to have one. I guess I don’t really like my back getting touched either because I get weird tingles if it’s not me touching my back. Idk…
 
damoisellepeachy said:
Hmm. I don’t like it whenever my hair is played with, I just don’t. I also don’t like getting tickled for that manner. But I do like giving hugs if the other person agrees to have one. I guess I don’t really like my back getting touched either because I get weird tingles if it’s not me touching my back. Idk…
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Omg, I hate being tickled... I think my initial reaction to a random person tickling me would be to punch them!
 
I was under the impression most ppl on the spectrum aren't that comfortable being touched.
 
Jonn said:
I was under the impression most ppl on the spectrum aren't that comfortable being touched.
Click to expand...
That is not the case for me and my ASD3 daughter (unless she is having an anxiety attack).
Affectionate touch is always welcome
  1. from appropriately close people
  2. when it is safe to do so.
(It makes me feel connected.)
 
Misty Avich said:
When I was a kid at school and we were all sitting on the floor around the teacher, sometimes another girl who sat behind me would make plaits in my long hair, and it was SO relaxing that I'd sit still and not be bored. If the teacher saw he or she would say "don't play with her hair please, it's not a hair salon", but what the teacher didn't know was that by having someone playing with my hair it actually helped me to actually listen to the teacher and concentrate better.

As an adult I love when my husband plays with my hair or massages my back. But he isn't always in the mood (unfortunately lol), so sometimes I smear butter on my back and shoulders and get my pet rats to walk all over my back and lick it off. It's so relaxing.
It this like a sensory seeking thing? I know it's common among autistic people to not want to be touched but is it more common in ADHD people to want to be touched (within reason)?
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I like being touched I think by people I am really familiar with, I like my hair done and touched.
I like maybe by a partner my hair played with
I like hugs once I get familiar with someone
I like kisses with people I love, I may kiss my gfs but never done it yet.
I love sitting in peoples laps I think
But I am nervous and have never done it.
I like affection and touch I think it is an important part of being human
 
But also for me consent and trust has to be there as well as I can only be affectionate with people I really know I think.
I think it is a love hate relationship that it can lead to overload as well.
 
Jonn said:
I was under the impression most ppl on the spectrum aren't that comfortable being touched.
Click to expand...
I have to wonder how many people who get written off as ticklish and over sensitive actually have something of the spectrum. Watching people's reaction to my youngest is interesting. He physically flinches and jolts as a response to touch, yet people seem to take on the idea that they need to do it again to somehow desensitize him. It's odd. I have to say "I don't think he's enjoying that, you should stop" as the poor kid cringes and buckles.
 
Crossbreed said:
That is not the case for me and my ASD3 daughter (unless she is having an anxiety attack).
Affectionate touch is always welcome
  1. from appropriately close people
  2. when it is safe to do so.
(It makes me feel connected.)
Click to expand...
Out of interest, how do you get to the feeling of safe? For me it feels like getting into a hot bath: very, very slowly or it's an overload. Do you have steps to prepare yourself?
 
Misty Avich said:
I don't like strangers touching me but I think that's normal. I remember when I was younger I was in a daydream in the middle of a grocery store and all of a sudden I felt two hands gently touch my waist from behind with a soft "excuse me, dear, can I get by?" said near my ear. It was only a little old lady being polite but I felt irritated and had to pretend I wasn't, as she wasn't doing anything bad. But it was still irritating, even though I always like to be respectful of elderly people.

I'm saving up for a spa day so I can get a massage on my back. I just hope you don't have to make conversation while being massaged, because when I'm being massaged I like to relax all over and just daydream and enjoy the feeling.
I like getting my hair cut but I always feel guilty and even embarrassed because I'm not chatting about my life to the hairdresser while everyone around me are chatting to their hairdressers. But I can't always hear, I can't really relax in a conversation if I'm not looking directly at someone, I don't want everyone hearing my business, and I like to use that time to RELAX. I wish I could close my eyes but then I'd be afraid of people thinking I have fallen asleep and might even get the hairdresser to wake me up or something.
Click to expand...
My hairdresser always asks me "Have you fallen asleep hehe?" because I close my eyes constantly, love my hair being washed, brushed, dried, treated etc. And then sometimes she would say "Oh look at your face!" because I'm so in my own world when she does stuff to my hair and I have an enjoyment expression lol.
 
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