Ok I think we need an adult sensory thread - Page 4

[spring978]

I thought I was just weird till I started doing research because of DS.
I cant handle
Loud noise
Repetitive noise

turtle necks
make-up its suffocating
shoes for long periods of time

I have others but those are the worst

[maryjane]

Okay, I have two more to share, that are a bit oddball.

I pull on my hair -- I used to think it was anxiety-related, but now I think it might be sensory. I have some fine hairs and some course/curly ones, and the only ones that "appeal" to me are the course ones. It's weird, I know. I just run them through my fingers, and comb through my hair with my fingers to find them. I do it when I'm tired or kind of zoning out.

And, I don't know what this is, but for as long as I can remember, I have this habit of "writing" out words with my index finger on my thumb. As if the line that forms the knuckle is a line from paper and then I just write words that I hear in conversation or on TV or whatever on my thumb. I'm not even aware that I'm doing it most of the time. I have no idea if it's sensory-related or not, but from what I've read about stimming, it seems like it's kind of that. Any thoughts?

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by bdavis337

NO, but I can "see" the words sometimes. I dont' spell anything, but I see the words like on closed captioning as I'm listening to a conversation. Makes it hard to concentrate.

Me too! and I do the ticker tape thing! And I type words in my head.

My mother does it with numbers. Somehow, all words come out to 4.

Let's take the word 'Sensory' and see what happens.

Sensory
S-E-N-S-O-R-Y
7 letters. 7.
S-E-V-E-N
5 letters. 5.
F-I-V-E
4 letters. 4.
F-O-U-R
4 letters. 4.

etc.

[HarperRose]

I sit and make little T-T-T noises with my tongue, the S sound, and pop teeny tiny bubble on the tip of my tongue. Someone once thought I was whispering. :

Oh my. I just realized I flap. : :

I need to have sharp pressure underneath my finger nails and toenails of the 3rd digits ONLY. I press my thumbnails in there or press the toes under the edge of the coffee table.

Concrete is FABULOUS for scratching the bottom of my feet.

The texture of York peppermint Patties is wonderful. The minty-ness is great, too. Other brands are not the same. The thinner, big patties are better than the small ones in the bags.

I pick. My brother used to let me get his zits. Now he lets his wife.

I need firm pressure, being squished and tucked into bed feels good to me. DH likes to do light touch which I can not stand. I keep reminding him that I need pressure. He tries. I also don't like soft kisses on my cheeks but I do like them on my forehead. And I can't stand kissing his puckered lips -- they need to be regular.

I LOVE getting adjusted at the chiropractor. I like the cracking sound and I LOVE getting my neck adjusted, especially.

I LOVE lifting weights, dead lifts, and squats. I also love running. I often change pace faster than the treadmill buttons respond, which bugs me, so I have to try and work with the machine or run outside.

I mash my lips between my teeth then scratch my top lip w/ my teeth. The center only.

I like to make kissy noises when kissing the baby.

I have to wiggle something all the time. The lexapro helps with my anxiety, but I still wiggle. It's just not as bad. And it quiets my ticker tape, constant conversation, and steady white-noise in my head. I really am glad for that because my head is quieter now.

I HATE light touch (as mentioned previously). DH thinks he's being romantic, I want to come out of my skin.

Being tickled feels like torture to me. It makes me cry.

Nothing around my neck. No turtlenecks. Bed sheets have to be around my neck, though, no matter the temp. (We live in TX!) Feet must be under the blankets, too.

The bed has to be made with exact lengths of sheet and blanket draped over each side. I can feel if it's uneven. Also, it must be hospital corners.

I can eyeball the center of things, like centering a frame on the wall or a piece of furniture. My brother (the one that likes to be picked) is the same way.

[Individuation]

Some of these are so oddly familiar.

The feet thing. I can't put anything on my feet, unless I get really into a pair of shoes and insist on wearing them, sock-less, everywhere for days. This often happens with clogs or new Vans. My feet have to be out of the blankets, no matter how cold it is. Other people's feet are horrible, and if someone touches me with their feet I lose it. I also don't like socks. I have serious issues with feet in the bed. Somehow, the baby's feet don't bother me, but they will begin to when he's around 16 months old or so.

Impact. I throw my whole body into walls when no one is home. I used to do aikido, and loved falling.

I build a little screen around my own place when I'm eating, so that I don't have to look at everyone else's food. If I can hear it, it's a problem. If I'm not eating, don't eat around me. I also don't go places where there are eating people, except for restaurants, because that's expected. But if someone eats on the subway, it's really not OK. No eating in my car. No candy with artificial fruit flavors EVER; something about the way they smell just sets me off.

There are many more. Let's see: none of what I still (from childhood) think of as The White Foods are allowed to be near me--this is mayonaise, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, I really cannot type this and will now scroll so I don't have to see it.

.

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....

OK. Yeah. Don't like those.

I really don't like the sound of babies crying. Luckily, neither of mine did or do--Charlotte laughed really loudly and then YELLED when she didn't get what she wanted, but she didn't do much of that baby-crying-noise. Nico just doesn't cry at all.

Other sensory things: rubbing carpet. I love rubbing the carpet. In public I get a similar charge out of folding cloth over so that two peices are rubbing together and then rubbing them really fast.

I don't like the phone. At all.

Ooops, have to go nurse now...

[DaughterOfKali]

Avoidance:
eating noises, lips smacking (this includes kissy noises), chewing, slurping, even crunching

Repetitve noises, small sharp noises, dripping water noises, soft noises when it is quiet (right now there is a strip of rubber flapping on our screen and I can't stand it. Wait, I'm gonna deal with it. (....) Ahhh! All better!)
High-pitched sounds that most people cannot hear. This one gets me crazy points with a lot of people until I do something like find a camera that has not had its flash attachment turned off - at the other end of a house full of people - just to turn it off. This includes CRT monitors (I can hear if they have power, whenther they are displaying anything or not), CRT televisions, camera flash attachments,
Rough or scratchy clothing, tags, lace, synthetic fabrics.
Soft music and speech also bothers me. I can hear it just fine, but it makes me feel hyperaware and panicky.

anything that makes me itchy, including not bathing often enough or too often (it's a delicate balance - in summer it's every day or twice a day, in winter it can't be more than every four or so days or I get itchier). I get really moody when I'm itchy.


Seeking:

Biting the inside of my cheek. I've developed "wings" on my inner cheeks from doing this.

Yep to all of those. I also hate to wear cardigan type sweaters; coats; close fitting turtlenecks; long sleeve shirts that are tigher/tapered at the wrist; tight waistbands; tights socks (on my ankles or calf); glasses; snug shoes.

Can't stand smells/scents. Hate stinky candles and air fresheners. I like a non smelling environment. Natural fresh air smell is good.

Hate crowds. Don't like lots of people talking at once. Can't stand whispering.

Don't like even seeing repetitive things (like if I see someone giggling their leg even though it doesn't make a noise and I'm not near it.)

Whining makes my ears bleed.

Loud laughing grates on my nerves. Even if I laugh too loud, I cringe. LOL.


Wow, no wonder my ds has so many sensory issues.

I know I have lots more.

[HarperRose]

Adding more:

Eating. DH eats w/ his mouth open. I want to smack him in the face when he does that. It's so LOUD! The sound drives me nuts. I yell at him to chew w/ his mouth closed. I don't even know if the kids eat w/ their mouths closed.

And the crunch of grapes irritates my ears like nothing else. I will not eat them because of the crunch. YES, grapes crunch! I hate it! Other foods can crunch, however, and it doesn't bother me.

I like the tops of broccoli. I eat the stems because it's expected but I much prefer the tops.

I prefer ankle socks. As a kid my mom used to buy me acrylic knit knee socks that I despised because they always fell down. And they itched. I would go to the bathroom and pull them back up and they'd only fall down again. It frustrated me so badly!!! My dd also only wears ankle socks. DS, however, will only wear calf-length socks.

I will not patch the knees of my kids jeans. If there's a hole in the knee I throw them out. The knee patches I had in my pants as a kid were scratchy.

I hate the sensation of yarn in teeth. Do not ask me how I know this. Just believe me. Acrylic is the worst.

Wool is itchy and hurts, but the baby wears wool longies or covers. I suffer with it because they're cute.

Tonight we were in church. I realized that kids are very loud even when they just sit there. Something about them is magnified. And I heard water running through pipes even though the room I was in had no water anywhere near it.

[jauncourt]

Originally Posted by DaughterOfKali

Wow, no wonder my ds has so many sensory issues.

I think this observation is the real value of this thread! We are all discovering that things we may have only thought of as weird quirks we had to live with might be related to how our LOs are.

I'm hoping that my awareness of this for myself will help me be a better parent to my boys. It's one of my mom's biggest shortcomings as a parent that she still sees my quirks as things I can control, or just oversensitivities ... even when I can clearly see that she has her own behaviors (and so does my stepdad - I'm fairly sure he's a "highly social" spectrum person). But I attribute that blindness to their generation and the view of SN people that they were raised with.

Anyway, I think that if we recognize how we cope with our sensory issues, we can use our knowledge of ourselves to teach our kids tools for their own lives.

Maura

[mamalita]

I didn't even realize some of my "quirks" were sensory issues until the past two years - when exploring DS' SPD stuff.

My biggest: I cannot STAND those commercials (or any images in general) where there is a distorted visual - hmmmm, like I think there was one where someone's nose got REALLY big (just the nose) because they had a cold or something. Made me want to shriek! Or like, years ago the buses in our city had an image of a basketball player and his arm (but JUST his arm) was almost as long as the bus - I think it was to encourage people to put litter in a trash can - but I had to look away every time (my buds would always have a good laugh about this).

Also, I can't listen to the sound of the tv. It makes me feel ill. DH and I rarely watch tv, and watch the news with the sound off (easy enough to figure out what's going on). This might explain my one guilty pleasure however - Korean soap operas (on public tv) complete with subtitles. And thank goodness that DVD players have the subtitle feature!

I actually love socks - especially knee socks - with the exception of warm/summer months. Oh, and I also love turtlenecks and scarves - I love for my neck to be covered tightly.

Going on a down escalator, I HAVE to be on the left hand side and holding on. If at all possible I'll take stairs or elevator. I just about died when visiting Washington D.C. (try taking THOSE escalators for the Metro! ha!)

I almost always have a mini "mommy meltdown" after going to Target or IKEA. Ugh!

Thank goodness, other people like me with the food eating sound aversion! When it's pasta night DH is particularly awful - I just glare at him across the table 'til he "gets" it.

Plenty more, but if there is a genetic component to sensory issues, it explains a lot of DS' sensory stuff.

[Jenifer76]

I am afraid of riding on escalators. Its less a sensory thing and more a bad childhood memory.

[Kitsune6]

I'm also very claustrophobic. I can not sleep in a sleeping bag that's zipped at all. I also haven't slept with a top sheet since I can't stand that trapped feeling. When we go to a hotel I have to untuck the entire bed otherwise I toss and turn all night.

I also have water issues. I guess I just don't like deep pressure. I went to the pool a few days ago and had a mini panic attack just when I put the goggles on. They felt so binding I couldn't take it. Ugh! I'm trying really hard to get over my water aversion. Part of it is that I hate water on my face and I hate holding my breath. Yeah, it's gonna be easy

I love this thread! It just shows us how WE have learned to deal with our issues so our kids will too!

[loraxc]

I have more.

I am near-sighted, but I hate wearing glasses AND contacts. I tried and tried to adjust to contacts out of vanity, but I can't distract myself from feeling those THINGS in my eyes. Ugh. Anyway, I walk around semi-blind 80% of the time, only wearing my glasses to drive, watch movies, etc. This can be embarrassing as I often do not recognize people at a distance.

I also do not like seeing people do repetitive things, like foot-jiggling.

I can't stand to rip a tissue or a paper towel or even to be around someone doing it. I also can't stand to take cotton balls out of medicine bottles.

Nursing was hard for me at first. I had to put socks over DD's hands so as not to have those teeny fingernails scritching at me.

When I am tired and stressed I like to pull my arms all the way out of my shirt sleeves and keep them inside my shirt. I don't do this one when DH is around because it really kind of freaks him out. It does look weird.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by loraxc

When I am tired and stressed I like to pull my arms all the way out of my shirt sleeves and keep them inside my shirt. I don't do this one when DH is around because it really kind of freaks him out. It does look weird.

I did this as a child!

My dad can't stand cotton balls in med bottles, either.

[HarperRose]

I just realized some more for myself.

The taste and texture of bananas is revolting to me. Texture of mashed potatoes is nasty, too. *shudder*

DS1 and I both need heavy pressure. I gave him a squeeze today and asked him if he liked it. He said he did, so then I gave him a nice big bear hug. And of course, dd wanted one, too, so she got one.

OH! Can't handle winter hats on my head. Neither can dd, as I discovered this morning. They're itchy even in the parts that aren't touched by the yarn.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

Aversions:

Texture of slimy foods, like cooked mushrooms.

Sleeping without a heavy comforter or blanket (even in the heat of summer).

Tight clothing, turtlenecks, nylons, and anything not loose and cotton.

Any shoes except too-large sneakers.

Skin touching skin while sleeping.

Make-up or any kind of cream on my face.

Jewelry of any sort.

Loud, sudden noises; fireworks.

Sun while driving (always keep the visor down even when cloudy).

Fingernails that have any white showing (must be kept very short).

Likes:

Swinging for hours.

Bouncing in circles on the tramp while listening to music.

People that click when they talk or read aloud.

Picking everything on my skin.

Immersion in warm water.

Deep pressure.

Rollercoasters/free fall/reverse free fall

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by BellinghamCrunchie

Aversions:
Fingernails that have any white showing (must be kept very short).

Speaking of fingernails, I can't stand mine long, either, unless they've been manicured with fake nails. (I eventually ALWAYS pick the nails off!) Those are a lot of money so I tend to just clip my nails very short like yours (though I don't mind a tiny line of white) and then I MUST file them. They hurt and itch my hands if they're not filed. Even if the nails don't touch my hands. They itch and hurt, like extremely dry skin.

Likes:

People that click when they talk or read aloud.

Explain?

[KimPM]

Originally Posted by jauncourt

High-pitched sounds that most people cannot hear. This one gets me crazy points with a lot of people until I do something like find a camera that has not had its flash attachment turned off - at the other end of a house full of people - just to turn it off. This includes CRT monitors (I can hear if they have power, whenther they are displaying anything or not), CRT televisions, camera flash attachments, deer repellers (that mount on cars), dog whistles, those noisemakers used to repel pests and now teenagers (I HATE walking into a store that has one installed). LCDs make a noise too, but it's not the same kind, more of a soft hum, not a squeal. I'm so glad they eixst now.
Maura

OMG - I thought I was the only one with this problem! Everybody thinks I'm crazy. I've experienced a nasty high-pitched tone when certain helicopters go overhead. I've only heard this maybe 3 times. First I hear the tone (and wonder "WHAT is that?"), then I hear the helicopter sound with the tone. DH can't hear it.

I can also feel e-mag radiation with my fingers, easily at 5 milligauss or more. I can feel when a radio is transmitting, especially when feeling around the antenna area. Cell phones...they are small radios...they put out some very strong signals. I don't keep one on near my body.

Hair touching my neck. I've got to have either short hair or long hair past my shoulders (most of the time pulled back in a ponytail.)

Anything else touching my neck, including jewelry or certain shirt necks.

My socks not being on "just right". (I drove my mom nuts when I was a toddler because I always had "a wrinkle in my sock")

Sensory seeker with soft & silky fabrics. I literally wore a hole in the satin edging of my baby blanket.

I get visually overloaded....then apparently my brain just cuts out large portions of what I should be seeing. I never even realized this until I tried to drive in the city once. Now I don't even try.

Did any of you get made fun of because of your sensitivities? I always did... by my own family. I had no idea I had "sensory issues" until I was trying to figure out what was going on with DS.

[wonderwahine]

the dentist! i figured out this when i took ds to the dentist and he got his molar crowns, i went to kiss him and had to force myself not to freak out because he smelled like a dentist.

I realised i have deep sensory issues with the dentist, which is why i am such a white knuckle patient!

[jauncourt]

Originally Posted by Justthatgirl

Explain?

(re people that click)

I don't know if this is what she meant, but my older sister softly "clicks" her tongue CONSTANTLY. As in all the time. It's about the only thing about her I can't stand, and it is completely unconscious. She had no idea she even did it until I played back a recording. I think it's a stim for her.

She genuinely cannot help it, so I deal with it by wearing earplugs or asking her to play music when we around each other.

maura

[wonderwahine]

im a tounge clicker :