[MBTI General] SPD? How do you feel about touch?

[briochick]

Hey, I just thought I would throw this out there.
When I was a child I was diagnosed with ADHD (not very common for a girl).
Additionally, I've always had a problems with textures and smells and sounds.

As an adult I struggle to invit any kind of touch. I used to flinch, tell people not to touch me. I used to think it was because of some "issue" but a friend of mine who is very similar to me was apparently diagnosed with some (non-asperger's) form of highfunctioning autism and spd (though spd is not an official dsm diagnosis...), but it got me to thinking, a lot. I already suspected that my unwillingness to let people touch me comes partially from a somewhat abusive childhood and a lot from touching generally being physically unpleasant to me. This is because the aversion is often focused on some aspect of sensation rather than emotion, and it rarely changes over time. Some people feel like trees, all elbows and sharp hardness, other people feel like bean bags, like they'll swallow your skin, other people have uncomfortable shape and I feel like I have to be a contortionist to hug them, some people's texture of skin is unpleasant to touch, some people smell...unpleasant. This is not just limited to strangers, it's within my own family too. I rarely hug my sister. It is not that I don't feel affection for her, it's just...

As I've gotten older I've learned to grin and bear it but I'm not touchy with most people (and then I'm supper snuggly with the few people who I like being touched by because I'm touch-deprived).

Do any other NFs have this sensitivity/aversion with any of your senses, particularly if you were diagnosed with something?

 

[Lexicon]

Hey, I just thought I would throw this out there.
When I was a child I was diagnosed with ADHD (not very common for a girl).
Additionally, I've always had a problems with textures and smells and sounds.

As an adult I struggle to invit any kind of touch. I used to flinch, tell people not to touch me. I used to think it was because of some "issue" but a friend of mine who is very similar to me was apparently diagnosed with some (non-asperger's) form of highfunctioning autism and spd (though spd is not an official dsm diagnosis...), but it got me to thinking, a lot. I already suspected that my unwillingness to let people touch me comes partially from a somewhat abusive childhood and a lot from touching generally being physically unpleasant to me. This is because the aversion is often focused on some aspect of sensation rather than emotion, and it rarely changes over time. Some people feel like trees, all elbows and sharp hardness, other people feel like bean bags, like they'll swallow your skin, other people have uncomfortable shape and I feel like I have to be a contortionist to hug them, some people's texture of skin is unpleasant to touch, some people smell...unpleasant. This is not just limited to strangers, it's within my own family too. I rarely hug my sister. It is not that I don't feel affection for her, it's just...

As I've gotten older I've learned to grin and bear it but I'm not touchy with most people (and then I'm supper snuggly with the few people who I like being touched by because I'm touch-deprived).

Do any other NFs have this sensitivity/aversion with any of your senses, particularly if you were diagnosed with something?

I'm touch-sensitive, but it's directly related to my PTSD, I believe. First I pick up on my immediately "tense" emotional reaction of discomfort/near-startle response, combined with a sense of heightened sensitivity overall to texture/smell. I assume the heightened sensation occurs physiologically due to the hypervigilant nature of my kneejerk emotional response/subconscious association of touch with pain of some kind.

I don't have this issue with smells/textures in other situations, and even during moments of physical contact, it's not terribly overwhelming (unless I'm upset- it's especially exacerbated then obviously- however it's still more the emotional tension than the physical discomfort), but it is a difference I have noticed, overall.

I've adjusted over time to make sure I don't make those around me feel like awkward creeps for doing things that are totally natural for most people, though I rarely engage or openly encourage some contact. In my case, boyfriends were never excluded from this reaction, if I happened to be particularly distressed. Some of them, & some friends attempted Forced-Hug-Therapy on me, but I hated it/would just try to speed up recovering my composure to end it without making them feel too badly. Telling a s/o in a tense voice, Don't touch me- makes them feel like shit.. who knew.

I am diagnosed with both PTSD & ADHD, (& a [long]past diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, but I doubt these latter two play much of a role, if any at all). Nothing else, though.

 

[briochick]

Ah. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry to hear about the PTSD.

 

[Lexicon]

Ah. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry to hear about the PTSD.

Ah, no worries, and thanks. It's stuff you learn to adapt to. I think in time it'll dissipate. Neuroplasticity is a beautiful thing.