What are your hypersensitivities and special interests?

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I'm hypersensitive to smells. Bad or strong smells (like dryer sheets) bother me so much. I'm sensitive to rough clothes as well. No wool or scratchy tags. I just don't understand why some fabric contain like 5% wool. What's the point of that other than irritating sensitive people?

My interests are vast and change all the time, but they mostly have something to do with cool things like sciences or pretty things like art, or yummy food. I also love doing laundry, feeding people, sewing, making and selling jewelry, and I play some video games everyday. I got into lifting some weights lately. I also want to learn yoga when I have the time. I like my interests. It's like having a big colorful wardrobe (and I do), when I open my closet and see all the choices I feel happy.

Meteorology i.e., weather combines both hypersensitivities, and special interests.

The images of storm-chasers (or even the more mundane images of storms), as well as that meteorologist getting excited about thundersnow piques interest. The documentaries about global climate change (yielding more intense storms (even in locations which almost never experience severe storms)) is of strong interest.

Yet, here in mostly fair-weather California, there are those rare times (less rare over the past couple of years), thunderstorm conditions occur, and bring out hypersensitivities; that is anxieties, and also aversions to seeing flashes of lightning esp. at night.

When storms are forecast, I monitor the regional weather data, as well as local 'Doppler Radar' during storms. I'm told such monitoring acts as "safety anchor of sorts." Yet, the combination of monitoring the 'Doppler Radar' and taking herbal anxiety supplements e.g., Valerian-Root supplements personally curbs anxieties. Yet, again, that aversion to seeing lightning flashes remains.

Does anybody else experience similar concerns? I'm struck by how many people on WrongPlanet enjoy experiencing thunderstorms; yet very little in the way of mention of storm-related phobia, anxieties, aversions.

I strongly feel that both aversions to lightning e.g., Astralphobia, and aversions to maintaining close, involved friendships are very similar connected parts within the Autism Spectrum.

With the growing body of knowledge regarding, Autism, anxiety disorders, brain-science, has anybody been able to curb (even through professional help) aversions/anxieties?

Hypersensitivities: My tactile hyposensitivity is way worse. So it causes me to be uncontrollably hyper. I find deep pressure helps. I also have a bit of sensitivity to light, sounds, smells and tastes but it’s far more manageable.

Special interests: Music and different cultures. Unfortunately my special interests often turn into painful OCD obsessions.

How many experience hypersensitivities and special interests 'pivoting' (for lack of a better word) off of each other? Or, how many have been able to reconcile the dynamics, dilemmas amongst hypersensitivities and special interests?

Hypersensitivity:
1. Noise, it doesn't take that many in a room conversing to me not to be able to clearly hear what's being said.
2. Heights, but in a building; I'm ok in an airplane.

One of my biggest hypersensitivities are certain types of smell, the strongest examples that come to mind being ammonia and Wintergreen strangely enough. That s**t just smells nasty to me. My special interests are just about anything pop culture related.

Are specific special interests also those same interests that yield hypersensitivities?

For example, the topic of weather personally combines both hypersensitivities, and special interests.

The images of storm-chasers (or even the more mundane images of storms), as well as that meteorologist getting excited about thundersnow piques interest. The documentaries about global climate change (yielding more intense storms (even in locations which almost never experience severe storms)) is of strong interest.

Yet, here in mostly fair-weather California, we're experiencing an active rainy season e.g., thunderstorm conditions are more frequent than usual; hence, hypersensitivities meaning anxieties, and also aversions to seeing flashes of lightning esp. at night.

The sound of a faucet turned on wide open & the water pounding out induces terror. Can not tolerate the sound/feel of a pencil on paper; I have to use a ballpoint pen. Layered clothing ... No. I have absolute pitch, so if just one person in a band or choir is even a teeny bit flat or sharp; I can hear it & it bugs me. I used to have extremely tender Achilles’ tendons & if they were even brushed up against I would yell but I must have outgrown that!

My interests are Immunology, Genetics & History. I am cursed/blessed with atypical hyperlexia so I consume quite a bit of reference material. I saw something once that shouldn’t have been ... well, just shouldn’t be, period, so I have a bizarre preoccupation with Raptors & the cattle mutilations that have occurred in my region for decades now.

certain noises.

It changes a lot, right now carabiners.

Hypersensitivities: (random selection of hundreds more)
- sunlight, daylight, glare, even when indoors with sheer curtains
- sunshine on chrome bumpers of cars (instant migraine with aura)
- sunshine on snow (kill me now)
- any light when I'm trying to sleep (I need a blindfold)
- fluorescent light, LED or essentially any lightbulbs that aren't coloured
- certain colours (orange and robin's egg)
- smells of food cooking particularly roast poultry
- smell of cocoa or chocolate
- smell of anything chemical, perfumes, artificial scents
- soft noises (e.g., a radio in the distance)
- repetitive noises
- CRINKLE (I will lose my mind)
- people chewing or slurping
- any sound at all when I'm trying to sleep (I need earplugs)
- people who talk too much or ask a lot of questions
- textures on bedding (embroidery, knits, fuzz, buttons, ruffles)
- being touched or hugged, little kids tapping me for attention
- sharing a bed
- clothing that isn't totally cotton or silk
- tags
- wool


With most food I am hyposensitive. I need extreme spice.

Special interests:
Literary Criticism, 19th Century British Literature, Simon & Garfunkel, Ancestry

What are hypersensitivities?