Aversion to Touch? What Has Worked Best For You?

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I just want to say how appreciative I am for all of your responses. Probably one of the most eye opening is that many NT's seek touch as a need, whereas many Aspies just don't feel the need for touch, versus being 'touch averse'. Your feedback is helping me be a better parent and therapist.

I have used skin brushing, guided by an OT. I brush my arms, upper body, legs and feet with a dry surgical scrub brush. I feel that it has raised my tolerance to light touch. Walking along a busy street (where I am trying to avoid any touch with passers-by) has become less painful.

I also find ritual helpful - if hugging / kissing is done in exactly the same way, with the same cues each time then it becomes much more bearable.

I don't have an aversion to touch; in fact, I need it. As a kid, I used to hug pillows to make myself sleep. I asked my parents to sleep in their bed so I could hug them.

And I do love to cuddle with my husband. It's a great feeling and I need it.

However, I hate when strangers touch me. Sometimes, random people will invade your personal space and touch you for no reason. It scares me, even if they're friendly. Then they think I'm a creep for not liking this.

Desensitization brush worked well for me when I was little to help me deal with touching and such. Worked quiet well, now I have no problems what so ever with hugging or kissing (Family, girlfriend ect.) I also believe for some autistic folk to truly get use to it, they need to be removed from there comfort zone as well with the brush.

[quote="deconstruction"]I don't have an aversion to touch; in fact, I need it. As a kid, I used to hug pillows to make myself sleep. I asked my parents to sleep in their bed so I could hug them.

I hug a pillow every night to get to sleep. I call it my pilly.

I still sleep with a stuffed animal for hugging purposes. Hugging a "stuffie" is different from people hugging, though. Stuffed aminals and illows don't have any weird incomphrehensible ulterior motives.