I don't like unexpected touch either. But when I can see it coming, it's okay. And hugs are nice.
But people tend to have this habit: if they step into you or push you by accident, they say "sorry" and touch you once again. It's meant to be calming / excusing / comforting, but it does make things worse.
I know I can't expect them to know that, and I don't take it personally at all. But still it is a sensory issue.
Joined: 17 Feb 2013 Age: 41 Gender: Male Posts: 22,612 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
26 Jun 2014, 11:41 am
Thanks for this thread.
It's a nice reminder that some friends w/ AS are simply averse to touch and don't mean anything personal at all by cringing or moving away from being touched. It's too easy to assume you've done something very wrong (or that someone is repulsed) with a very normal simple touch when people react like that. In reality, it's way more likely it's just a sensory thing and has nothing to do with anything else.
_________________ No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.
Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Age: 42 Gender: Male Posts: 219 Location: Atlanta, GA
26 Jun 2014, 1:06 pm
Holy crap, yes. Depending on my sensory load at the time, touch without warning, especially from a stranger or someone I'm not super close to, is potential meltdown territory. Even just a light touch like a tap on the shoulder.
When I'm expecting it and have prepared for it, it can be pleasant; but, it feels invasive and threatening if I'm not ready for it.
My wife likes to wake me with a gentle touch. About half the times I wake with a jolt, jerking away from the touch and ready to defend myself.
Joined: 13 Jun 2014 Age: 58 Gender: Male Posts: 49 Location: RI
26 Jun 2014, 9:49 pm
I forgot to mention tickling. My girlfriend recently found out how ticklish I am, now she likes to straddle over me and attempt to tickle me when I can't get away. She thinks it would be a turn on, but sadly it is not! It actually hurts sometimes.
_________________ Aspie Quiz: 167 of 200
NT Score: 68 of 200
AQ-50: 41
HSP= highly sensitive person
This has happened to me more than once, like with this one girl in my high school.
I never knew her, but almost every morning as I was waiting for classes to start, she'd just spontaneously touch me and it just made me feel a tad bit uncomfortable...
Glad these occurrences don't happen as nearly as much anymore.
Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Age: 34 Gender: Female Posts: 3,722 Location: London
30 Jun 2014, 7:34 am
All types of touch are agony for me. Even my relatives can't touch me in any way. As a baby / toddler / kid, (as my parents told me), I would scream and kick every time I was picked up or touched. I couldn't tolerate contact sports at school; I ended up a girl in A&E when she put her hand on my face.
_________________ I am a partially verbal classic autistic. I am a pharmacology student with full time support.