Dealing with fast-talkers, loud-mouths, liars, etc.

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I just step back because, with my hyper-sensitive sense of smell, even the freshest breath makes me gag.

My wife talks very fast and very loud. It was a constant source of our bickering until I found out about AS. Now she understands that I'm not being a jerk when I cover my ears or wander away. It's a physical discomfort that I cannot control. I am also learning to tell her when she is talking too fast or too loudly before I have a total meltdown.

I deal with space invaders involuntarily -- I will unconsciously gravitate away if someone comes within a certain distance of me almost the way two magnets repel. Generally the bigger the person, the bigger the bubble. Small children can usually come right up on me before I react, older children maybe a foot or so, whereas teens and adults usually can't get within three feet of me unless I consciously allow them to. A lot of times people will ask me why I'm backing away and I will be clueless because I won't even realize I'm doing it.

If space gets crowded and I can't get away from people, I will panic.

I also begin to stutter if I feel like I'm having difficulty getting a word in edgewise. It's like the expectation that I'll have difficulty saying something triggers the stuttering, which otherwise only appears when I'm excited or worked up.