Sensory Issues Query

[garnetflower13]

I wish I knew the answer to that, lemonie!

 

[lemonie]

I wish I knew the answer to that, lemonie!

Im asking too much arent i

 

[Hopeless_Aspie_Guy]

My main issues, are textures of fruit, I cant fathom eating anything with seeds, as just the thought brings shivers, apart from the taste which I find appalling, but I sometimes wonder if its preference or really an issue ?

When it comes to sound, I remember that when I was a kid, I used to scream endlessly at fireworks, then I think most kids do ? The sound of the bands (deep drum sound mostly, trumpets etc) used to make me nauseous, when I was a kid and I used to cry and eventually just throw up because the sound used to bother me so much

Today I went for a coffee with my friend and we went to a busy coffee shop and stayed inside> I asked my NT friend is she thought this was a loud place, and she agreed< however she did not say it bothered her to an extent and it was just a busy coffee shop. However the voices of people seemed almost heightened for me and I could hear the clatters of the teaspoons on plates etc. After five minutes I started to feel pain in my ears and subsequently the whole time we stayed there I had ear pain in both ears - noticeable ear pain and then developed a migraine shortly after we left. I felt tired and drained, which was weird as I did not have any reason to be. I find myself wincing at certain pitches such as children's high screams and the such. but once again I dont know if this is something everyone feels, or if it is just me. I have some similar issues with lights, which I find too bright at times, then again I have the same question issue.

Finally,I have a very low pain tolerance, so a simple poke would be felt for another minute or two after it has been done and would generally feel quite painful to me, to the extent of pressing on a bruise, but once again I wonder if I make a fuss or if I really am hypersensitive to things, I hate people touching me in general, apart from some close people and even certain areas or ways of touching bother me.

Medically I think you're what's known as an 'awkward aspie' . Nothing wrong with that of course (most aspies are humerously awkward in one or many ways), maybe get your ears looked at by a doctor in regards to the physical pain you feel though, that doesn't sound aspie like but more an actual physical issue.

 

[Jerry]

High pressure sodium lights with the insectoid buzzing... Ugh. It's more than an irritation. It bores holes in my soul.

 

[Jerry]

So the question once again is... do nts feel this way too about such trivial things ?? I mean even the way a sentence is done, or a pun can be used, or clever things with language actually please me and get me excited, its weird getting to know myself snd that things that i considered normal for the greater part of my life that i was aware of, are actually quirks.

It's a question of scale. You know, the spectrum and all. I think most NTs can put it aside and carry on, whereas you cannot. Then again, this is from my observations and no one is wearing labels to self-identify. An interesting question, tho.

 

[lemonie]

Medically I think you're what's known as an 'awkward aspie' . Nothing wrong with that of course (most aspies are humerously awkward in one or many ways), maybe get your ears looked at by a doctor in regards to the physical pain you feel though, that doesn't sound aspie like but more an actual physical issue.

in what sense an awkward aspie ? if I may ask. I will check them out, though is not entirely out of the question for sensory overload to have a somatic symptom I guess. dunno

 

[Hopeless_Aspie_Guy]

in what sense an awkward aspie ?

My way of thinking how an NT would view it. Most aspies have oddities in their behaviour and preferences (totally normal to them and some other aspies of course) which will make them stand out from the majority (typically NT's) but they may not be known to said NT's as being an aspie and will thus be regarded as 'awkward', though not necessarily meaning that they're disliked, inferior or bad in any way.

 

[ksheehan88]

Hi all, so since I got diagnosed recently, albeit knew the diagnosis, I was looking back at my childhood and wondered about sensory issues. I mean the ones I am aware of I believe are not too serious or profound, though at times I get wondering if I have issues or am just being picky, or if even NTs feel the same way, so I want your input.

My main issues, are textures of fruit, I cant fathom eating anything with seeds, as just the thought brings shivers, apart from the taste which I find appalling, but I sometimes wonder if its preference or really an issue ?

When it comes to sound, I remember that when I was a kid, I used to scream endlessly at fireworks, then I think most kids do ? The sound of the bands (deep drum sound mostly, trumpets etc) used to make me nauseous, when I was a kid and I used to cry and eventually just throw up because the sound used to bother me so much

Today I went for a coffee with my friend and we went to a busy coffee shop and stayed inside> I asked my NT friend is she thought this was a loud place, and she agreed< however she did not say it bothered her to an extent and it was just a busy coffee shop. However the voices of people seemed almost heightened for me and I could hear the clatters of the teaspoons on plates etc. After five minutes I started to feel pain in my ears and subsequently the whole time we stayed there I had ear pain in both ears - noticeable ear pain and then developed a migraine shortly after we left. I felt tired and drained, which was weird as I did not have any reason to be. I find myself wincing at certain pitches such as children's high screams and the such. but once again I dont know if this is something everyone feels, or if it is just me. I have some similar issues with lights, which I find too bright at times, then again I have the same question issue.

Finally,I have a very low pain tolerance, so a simple poke would be felt for another minute or two after it has been done and would generally feel quite painful to me, to the extent of pressing on a bruise, but once again I wonder if I make a fuss or if I really am hypersensitive to things, I hate people touching me in general, apart from some close people and even certain areas or ways of touching bother me.

I wonder if anyone could give me some insight on this,if you feel similar experiences, if it is something everyone feels or if someone actually has issues but not so heightened, P.s my ears are still slightly bothering me . I would really like to know what NTs think re these things too.

I'm NT. The pain thing I don't know about... The fruit thing - I can't say for fruit, but I feel similarly about seafood - the texture and smell. The noise thing, I could've written it myself. Loud bangs, lots of chatter, children screaming, crashing and rattling of pots/pans/cutlery/crockery, all those things make my head feel like its imploding, get me agitated and upset and anxious. xx

 

[Ylva]

I didnt find what i was looking for I know everyone is different, however i wonder what bridges the gap between sensory issues and just things that irritate

Mere annoyances can be ignored. They are not painful.

Before I got diagnosed, I though that I was just being a wimpy, that everyone else gets stressed to some degree by environmental stimuli, but they were just better at dealing with it - now I realize that they barely register the noises, lights, and other variables in their environment that we Aspies just cannot filter out.

You and me both.

I know what you mean, it's difficult to tell what's normal, what's just you, and what's due to your condition.

How is it "not me" if it's due to my condition?

 

[BlueChapel]

Be sure to try pot.

 

[Katherine Rawstron]

"Just me" means an area where I think/thought I was the only one; something could be "just me" in that it's not normal, but isn't due to autism either; maybe a mannerism copied from my mother, for example; or a psychological reaction to something that happened in the past.

 

[Jerry]

Be sure to try pot.

Cite something. Show me you have a mind. I'm not against it, but it can be dangerous for some people. Maybe "try under the care of a physician" would be better. Personally, I've had two reactions to cannabis. When younger, I withdrew more and disconnected more than I had before. Now older, if I don't over do it (low doses) It seems to help me connect with my emotions. The dissociation it causes allows me to look at things that have happened to me in an objective way and appears to give me a deeper understanding of them. However, I can see it confusing people, too. It should be used with caution and at least at first, with supervision, if being used medically.

 

[LostInSilentHill]

As for not being able to filter, I have lost track of how many times some "expert" has advised me that my sensory overload issues would magically vanish if I would just meditate. I know that meditation works for most people but it does absolutely nothing for me. And as a child, I was often accused of being picky, difficult, or attention seeking when I protested against things like wearing red (I hated that color for a long time) or having to eat slimy oatmeal or jello, or having to eat with a utensil that had a flavor that only I could detect.

I agree, I'm always told to meditate but it just doesn't work for me. When I try I become hyper-sensitive to everything around me. Plus, it's so hard to quiet my brain, it just runs none stop.

As for food, as a kid, I was extremely picky and even know it is hard to find things I'll eat. Specifically, it is the textures that get me, like tofu or squash.

 

[LostInSilentHill]

So the question once again is... do nts feel this way too about such trivial things ?? I mean even the way a sentence is done, or a pun can be used, or clever things with language actually please me and get me excited, its weird getting to know myself snd that things that i considered normal for the greater part of my life that i was aware of, are actually quirks.

I don't know. I get so happy when I drink bubble tea and get a tapioca ball in my mouth (I hum in joy), but my NT friends think it's really weird.I think they do, but on more normal things, like a song or movie.

 

[BlueChapel]

Cite something. Show me you have a mind. I'm not against it, but it can be dangerous for some people. Maybe "try under the care of a physician" would be better. Personally, I've had two reactions to cannabis. When younger, I withdrew more and disconnected more than I had before. Now older, if I don't over do it (low doses) It seems to help me connect with my emotions. The dissociation it causes allows me to look at things that have happened to me in an objective way and appears to give me a deeper understanding of them. However, I can see it confusing people, too. It should be used with caution and at least at first, with supervision, if being used medically.

There are definitely some strains that I consistently have poor reactions too. But for the most part, I usually find strong sativas enjoyable. The strain Asian Fantasy was my life and blood for a while.

 

[Destinyz12]

I am very hypersensitive to certain things, and just mildly sensitive to other things, it definitely varies greatly person to person it seems. I have a VERY low tolerance for pain, which really sucks because I find it very hard to concentrate and do the things I need to do when I'm in such a state. I am very sensitive to certain textures/materials- I can't wear certain clothing materials and often clothing tags bother me, and can't use blankets that don't fit my specific needs- I'm most comfortable with a heavy comforter made of super soft plush-like material and also need really soft sheets and pillowcases. I also have food texture/sensitivity issues, like unexpectedly crunching down on an onion or something similar in my food will make me really nauseous suddenly.

Noise isn't quite as bad as the above mentioned although unexpected noise can irritate me, especially if I'm trying to concentrate on something. My tolerance of light and smell is probably the same as a NT person-I can deal with the unpleasantness unless it's really overwhelming.

I'm undiagnosed but suspect Aspergers based on a handful of issues including the ones mentioned above.

 

[sybok]

Every time I raise these questions with my Psych and other NTs I get the whole, oh that's normal. Nobody likes supermarkets and busy streets etc. etc..

This is, of course, true, to a certain extent. No-one is suggesting someone with ASD is anything but a human being. But how do you communicate your subjective experience of something or even compare your experiences in any truly scientific measurable way?

Well, you do it by conducting rigorous large group studies. The results of which show that humans who broadly share a set of fairly specific, yet general in nature, traits (ASD), experience certain things more intensely, or without a fully functioning filter.

I would suggest that if you are on the spectrum, it's a good chance that you experience similar things to other humans, but more intensely. As far as I can tell, on this forum, precisely what will upset or please you is as diverse as any human experiences. Just more.

 

[Aspychata]

Huge crowds use to give me headaches as a teenager. Now l am use to it. I am conditioned to noise. I don't like certain textures in food, in clothes, in blankets. I don't like certain colors on inside of car. I really dislike very loud male voices.