Sensory Processing Disorder. You have probably heard the term before. Usually it goes in combination with pictures of sensory bottles, thinking putty, whirl-around gifs. Furthermore, there is always a mention of sensory rooms. Unfortunately, the more-than-known articles I'm speaking about are, in my opinion, usually about sensory seeking people. I myself am (in most cases) a sensory avoider.
When I was little I didn't want to walk on the sand when at the beach, when I got my hands dirty I would run to clean them and I still do. I didn't wear jeans for most of my life because they made me feel itchy. When someone strokes against me on the bus I have to start stimming heavily in order not to cry. I can't go to the cinema because surround sound makes me nauseous. As a baby I would play with my feet or I would take of my socks over and over again; the toys stayed untouched and if I ever used one it needed to be safely stored right away when I finished. I'm still a stickler for organisation and need my things a certain. Imagine living with two more people and having a meltdown every time they do the dishes and place the things in a different way (I'm not even talking about they fact I often have to rewash because I think it's not clean enough).
I wasn't always this organised. When I was about 8 I was the messiest person you've ever met and I couldn't have things put away because I wouldn't find them. Maybe things started to change when I was 12 and sat on my retainer... I've also always been quite insensitive to pain. Not seeking it either, but I never notice cuts and things like that. Unfortunately that doesn't count for my migraines when I have sensory overload.
Touch is especially difficult for me. I don't like to shake hands and kiss or hug people. Only my boyfriend I trust enough to give me pressure hugs. My clothing has to be tight some days and loose on others, but always made of natural materials like cotton. I always wear the same brand and model of underwear, and its all cotton too. I don't like water on my skin (or anything, for that matter). I don't like to take showers, and luckily I'm not a heavy sweater. My showers are written in my agenda so I won't forget them on purpose. I also get allergic skin reactions to anything you can imagine: any type of body or face cream I use I have to changed after less than a year and any ointment for medical use (even homeopathic ones) I can only use for a certain time before I start have reactions to it in the form of rash, redness or heavy itching.
What else.... Sensitivity to noise: I often put on music with headphones when on the street because everyday life has too many different sounds. However, headphones hurt me, so I can't wear them for too long. I can't wear headphones that cover my ear either, no noise cancelling headphones are not an option for me. Sensitivity to light has always been my biggest problem. Fluorescent light would give me headaches and I would wear sunglasses even when it was raining and even inside, until I got tinted lenses. I don't have prescription lenses or anything, just normal plastic (I don't need glasses to see better) which is 18 percent coloured. Kind of like sunglasses, but you can hardly see they're coloured. Since I got my glasses, I'm handling light input a lot better and have less headaches. I don't always wear them, although I have them with me at all times, in case things get too much. But they helped me to reduce light input.
I should also mention that anything makes me nauseous. Looking at people spinning makes me nauseous. Car, bus and train rides, playing on the swing, watching a movie with a lot of camera movement, rides in amusement parks,... Including those gifs that some people find so soothing and the glitter in those sensory bottles.
So, if you know someone with sensory issues, don't automatically assume that they will like stimming toys or texture books. Think calm, neutral and natural.
When I was little I didn't want to walk on the sand when at the beach, when I got my hands dirty I would run to clean them and I still do. I didn't wear jeans for most of my life because they made me feel itchy. When someone strokes against me on the bus I have to start stimming heavily in order not to cry. I can't go to the cinema because surround sound makes me nauseous. As a baby I would play with my feet or I would take of my socks over and over again; the toys stayed untouched and if I ever used one it needed to be safely stored right away when I finished. I'm still a stickler for organisation and need my things a certain. Imagine living with two more people and having a meltdown every time they do the dishes and place the things in a different way (I'm not even talking about they fact I often have to rewash because I think it's not clean enough).
I wasn't always this organised. When I was about 8 I was the messiest person you've ever met and I couldn't have things put away because I wouldn't find them. Maybe things started to change when I was 12 and sat on my retainer... I've also always been quite insensitive to pain. Not seeking it either, but I never notice cuts and things like that. Unfortunately that doesn't count for my migraines when I have sensory overload.
Touch is especially difficult for me. I don't like to shake hands and kiss or hug people. Only my boyfriend I trust enough to give me pressure hugs. My clothing has to be tight some days and loose on others, but always made of natural materials like cotton. I always wear the same brand and model of underwear, and its all cotton too. I don't like water on my skin (or anything, for that matter). I don't like to take showers, and luckily I'm not a heavy sweater. My showers are written in my agenda so I won't forget them on purpose. I also get allergic skin reactions to anything you can imagine: any type of body or face cream I use I have to changed after less than a year and any ointment for medical use (even homeopathic ones) I can only use for a certain time before I start have reactions to it in the form of rash, redness or heavy itching.
What else.... Sensitivity to noise: I often put on music with headphones when on the street because everyday life has too many different sounds. However, headphones hurt me, so I can't wear them for too long. I can't wear headphones that cover my ear either, no noise cancelling headphones are not an option for me. Sensitivity to light has always been my biggest problem. Fluorescent light would give me headaches and I would wear sunglasses even when it was raining and even inside, until I got tinted lenses. I don't have prescription lenses or anything, just normal plastic (I don't need glasses to see better) which is 18 percent coloured. Kind of like sunglasses, but you can hardly see they're coloured. Since I got my glasses, I'm handling light input a lot better and have less headaches. I don't always wear them, although I have them with me at all times, in case things get too much. But they helped me to reduce light input.
I should also mention that anything makes me nauseous. Looking at people spinning makes me nauseous. Car, bus and train rides, playing on the swing, watching a movie with a lot of camera movement, rides in amusement parks,... Including those gifs that some people find so soothing and the glitter in those sensory bottles.
So, if you know someone with sensory issues, don't automatically assume that they will like stimming toys or texture books. Think calm, neutral and natural.