Do you ever change your sensory seeking actions/behaviors?

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I'm not sure if I phrased the title of this right. I'll explain what prompted this question.

I just changed out of my pajamas. The clothing I selected to wear today are tight... clingy leggings and a snug fitting, long sleeve, under armor type shirt. Tight clothing has been my new normal for awhile now. I feel really uncomfortable in loose fitting clothing and as a result, I keep wearing the same two shirts and three pairs of pants over and over again. Not a big deal really... I just need to go get a few more shirts to accommodate this new found need for clingy. It's kinda hard to do since I am not a big person... but whatever. Point is, I seem to be seeking pressure on my body in a way that is new to me. Not that I have never enjoyed pressure, just not to this degree.

In the past I could not tolerate sleeves or pants. My typical attire was a sleeveless tank top and a floor length, a line skirt. I do own one baggy hoodie that I would tolerate wearing. Now when I try to wear that baggy hoodie, it drives me up a wall and I almost loathe the thing presently for the discomfort it causes. I'm not sure what the deal is with this change. I guess I kinda figured that if you are a person who cannot tolerate tight things on your arms and legs, then you are always that way and the same for people who like the pressure of tight clothing on arms, legs, and torso. It did not occur to me that I would change what I find comforting, but I have. It's not just a clothing thing for me either... it's playing out in other aspects of my life as well. It's not problematic or anything, I just find it odd, that's all. I wonder if anyone else here has had this type of thing happen.

I think I get what you are saying. For me it's about being kind to myself. I think we often have learned so many ways to compensate in order to "fit in" that we can lose sight of our own ability to dial back that unending demand for our energy and put our comfort first.

We do not live in a world of "reasonable accommodation". The law demands, for example, that buildings have ramps for disabled people in wheelchairs. That is a reasonable accommodation. But there are not yet reasonable accommodations for minds that function differently than "normal". So we are expected and even demanded to do it "their way", which often feels like the equivalent of taking our "wheel chair" up their "stairs". It's exhausting. So when we can do something small like change clothes to be more comfortable, we must in order to preserve and to generate the energy it takes to live in a world with so few accommodations.

Agreed. The world is not generally accommodating. Stress will set off my sensory stuff, without a doubt. Just this recent change in my sensory stuff has me utterly confused.

In the past if I were more stressed, tight clothing would set me off and now it calms me. I went through a sewing phase about ten years ago and made my own skirts in an attempt to be more comfy in my life, skin... it worked wonders for me. I was surprised how much a simple wardrobe change. Comfort, it goes a long way. I had no idea how nuts the stuff I had been wearing made me. It was wild. Maybe that is why this has me so stumped... I remember clearly how much better I was then saying to hell with jeans and going all skirts. Now to try to wear skirts... no. Just no. I need clingy leggings under them to tolerate them now. It's such a severe role reversal.

It's not just the clothing either. In the past when I have taken naps, I would sprawl out on the couch... one leg on the table, the other on the back of the couch... just all over the place. Now if I am not smashed up into the back rest cushion I cannot feel comfortable. Previously, I could not stand being up close to people, now I want to smash up into my spouse. I even do this while we sleep when before, I would move away from him when asleep if he tried to get close to me... I have fallen out of bed trying to run from him in my sleep now it's like I am the one trying to drive him out of bed.

It's odd to me that what I used to find unacceptable, I now seem to crave. Oh and on the flip side of it... adding to the weird, I used to hate light touch from people... I would swat sometimes since it bothered me so much. I did not flip out on people who would, for example, hold my wrist tightly. Now the tight grab feels painful to me. I don't get it. *shrugs*

We change. Every 7 to 10 years every cell in your body has been replaced. You are literally a new physical person. You changed. You will change again. I think we get so distracted by the extraordinary demands of life, maintaining social compensations, that we loose tough with our being. I try to remember in it all to be kind to myself in the moment.

Right on. Like how taste changes every however many years... I can roll with that. Thank you for your input. While the flip-floppiness of this has me confused, I think I will approach it like a fun new puzzle to figure out new things that can bring me comfort... rather than stressing why I am seeking different things. Yeah. This could be a fun progression. Thank you.