I don't really have any pertaining diagnosis, so I wasn't sure where to put this...but I have sensory issues that get in the way of my life (especially my relationship). While smell and sound sensitivities bother me, they don't usually impact my life too much. Although, there's things I want to do/places I want to go, but I can't because they're too loud, so there's that. It's the touch sensitivity that really bothers me.

Getting my hair done and really having anybody touch my hair who isn't 100% gentle is anywhere from painful to traumatic. Any shower that has high water pressure (like my boyfriend's for example) is going to have to be turned down pretty far or it's immensely painful and yes, kind of traumatic. Physical intimacy is often a nightmare because it's too intense or he uses the wrong kind of pressure (I'm ok with "firm" touch now it seems, but if the touch is too "light", it's the tactile equivalent of nails on a chalkboard).

I think the problem is worse because there's so much sensory stimulation at work and while it's within what I can stand (most of the time), I have no resources left at the end of the day. I don't know how to desensitize or find a way to recover faster. There's such a thing as a sensory brush, but I don't know if it works for my issue. I wouldn't even know how I would get in to see an occupational therapist because I don't have any diagnoses like ASD or SPD (I've never been properly assessed really). So I doubt they would believe I have an issue.

I've had this issue (especially with touch) since I was a child, maybe even a baby. I just avoided touch as much as humanly possible for most of my life.

[Sunflower123]

Would you fit the definition of a Highly Sensitive Person? Is there some information in books about HSP that might be helpful in your situation?

[Shazerac]

Perhaps it would help if you got assessed by a professional? There are many reasons why you could be so sensitive. Aspergers and autism sometimes present as being touch adverse.

I'm bipolar and when I'm feeling manic or depressed i become extremely overwhelmed by outside stimulus. Touching anyone sets my teeth on edge. Smells, sounds, even bright colors distress me.

We're not doctors, so we can't say what is going on with you. But we can listen

Originally Posted by Jennifer 1967

Would you fit the definition of a Highly Sensitive Person? Is there some information in books about HSP that might be helpful in your situation?

There's several traits that I've read that don't fit me. I don't avoid violent media. I enjoy violent video games and I don't mind violence in TV/movies most of the time. I don't have issues with (normal) pain. I had a simple medical procedure done that the doctor tried to talk me out of because of how painful it was. It hurt, but I wasn't too bothered by it. He and the nurse were surprised by my pretty much non-reaction. Same with a doctor/nurse I went to about a burn that got infected. She was wondering how in the world I could stand the pain and I'm just thinking it didn't hurt that much. And as for empathy/conscientiousness, I don't know how much I really have. I think I've learned empathy (or at least how to show it better) through my job, but for example, I don't really know how to comfort people when they're upset.

Originally Posted by Shazerac

Perhaps it would help if you got assessed by a professional? There are many reasons why you could be so sensitive. Aspergers and autism sometimes present as being touch adverse.

I'm bipolar and when I'm feeling manic or depressed i become extremely overwhelmed by outside stimulus. Touching anyone sets my teeth on edge. Smells, sounds, even bright colors distress me.

We're not doctors, so we can't say what is going on with you. But we can listen

I would like to, but the only one qualified in the area is religiously aligned and I have no idea if that means they use religion with every client or just for the ones who request it. I'm also not sure if they can do an accurate assessment without detailed accounts of my childhood. I only remember some of it and I'm not sure if it's all 100% accurate.

The thing is with the sensory issues, it's usually certain noises, not necessarily just loud noises (loud noises can bother me though). Like someone washing dishes is not necessarily loud but bothers me more than most sounds. With touch, it's the pressure of touch rather than all touch. If I'm upset, someone touching me to comfort me is probably going to cause a violent reaction unless I'm warned first.

I've thought Aspergers was possible because of my higher IQ, more narrow interests, sensory issues, episodes that could be considered "meltdowns", being told I lack empathy (which may be more that I lack knowing how to show empathy), I can't tell when people are lying, and general difficulty in learning social and life skills. My partner we're pretty sure has Aspergers (like 99.9% sure, he just doesn't want it officially on his "record" so to speak so he didn't get the official diagnosis) and he makes more sense to me than most people. I have never seen anything other than an Aspie and a non-Aspie will have a difficult relationship especially with communication and we don't. His thought process makes sense to me most of the time.

[Shazerac]

"The only one qualified in your area"? there is only one psychiatrist where you live?

[winter loneliness]

I would ask a psychiatrist. This seems like it could be neurological, in nature. After all, bipolar, schizophrenia and Autism are all neurological disorders.

The last time I checked, there was only one psych that had expertise in autism (specifically the female presentation of it). Any other psych would probably just say I have anxiety or something without properly assessing me.

[Nike007]

Hi. For me, my psychiatrist wouldn't diagnose autism, as she didn't feel comfortable in it, so I had to go to a psychologist for that.
But occupational therapist are the ones who diagnose SPD. They do assessments there.
Would you feel comfortable being diagnosed with ASD?
Anyways, I can totally understand sensory overstimulation. For me, I now live in a big city and it's very easy for me to be sensory overstimulated. It's mainly sound for me, but I can't stand some smells and crowds. I wear headphones and listen to music when walking anywhere. I haven't had a meltdown since I did this. Smells I just sadly live with. I hope you find help.

[Shazerac]

Originally Posted by I.Am.The.End.

The last time I checked, there was only one psych that had expertise in autism (specifically the female presentation of it). Any other psych would probably just say I have anxiety or something without properly assessing me.

No offense but your kind of limiting your options here. You don't know if you actually have autism. You're self diagnosing. "Other psychiatrist would probably say...." again your limiting yourself here.

If you chose not to seek help because you think you already know what would happen...you're kind of shooting your self in the foot. you won't know unless you try.