Touching an Aspie...

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This topic is open for discussion on the topic of touching.

Personally, I don't like being touched by anyone. I find it irritating and rather threatening.

I know that if someone comes up to me and say, gives me a hug, I completely spazz out (I stim; nonverbal tendencies, rocking, finger tapping, the whole nine yards). If people link arms with me or touch me unexpectedly, I get nonverbal and I tend to pull into "my own universe". Sometimes I even mutter.

Anyone else do stuff like this when touched? Anyone not?

Thanks! I'm quite interested to see the responses.

~Aspiegirl89~

I am the exact opposite. A complete lack of touch would upset me.

Tim

interesting... when you say "A lack of touch" would upset you, do you mean that if people NEVER touched you, or you need someone touching you all the time?

Sorry, I take things EXTREMELY literally... ;^) Yet another *Aspie trait*

~AG89~

Aspiegirl89,

I just get angry and upset and develop a dislike for them. I HATE it, ESPECIALLY since they do it to console THEMSELVES or try to get something out of me. If a stewardess tries ANYTHING like this, I lose my appetite, and the tip goes out the window, and I am generally a GOOD tipper(15-20%)! Sometimes I get overly impressed and/or flustered, and give MORE.

Steve

I can’t stand being hugged I love giving them but I hate to receive them. Also I can’t stand being tapped on the shoulder.

If I know it's coming, I have no problem with being touched... at least, as long as it's not inappropriate sexual type touching, in which case it depends who's doing the touching. However any attempt to touch me by surprise results in flinching back or blocking it karate kid style (paint the fence! wax the car! etc.). Fortunately my reflex block reaction doesn't include a counter attack LOL.

It depends on who is touching me, and how much. Hugs and heavy touching don't bother me, but light touching will either make me feel really good... or scream out in pain.

I can't stand being touched or poked in the back. Some people seem to enjoy pushing my
mental buttons by poking me.

Wrists. Other than that, I'll tolerate it. Plus for some strange reason, holding my shoulders seems to calm me down. I can't do it effectively on myself though.

Not fond of touching. Very nervous and ticklish, and people touching me for no reason makes me very uncomfortable. And supposedly I'm like, cute or something, and that makes ppl want to touch.
I only touch others if I have a bond with them, and it really puzzles me why others don't go by that same philosophy. Meh. I guess that's part of what makes me an aspie.

That's my opinion.

I also hate being touched on the shoulder or about this when staring at one's own computer screen and you find your not the only one looking at it. That gets me annoyed. I would also have to say that I love giving out hugs. I don't know why I find my self chosing girls to hug but when someone other than my father hugs me I'll make sure that person doesn't. It's the same way with conversations. I don't like to talk much with my same sex people. Now girls I can just sit there and enjoy listening to them.

No, I don't like casual, unexpected touch. Like others have mentioned here, people who like to tap your shoulder, or poke you, are especially trying. I accept hugs, provided I know its coming, and it's from someone I know very well and don't mind hugging. When my daughter was small, I had to train her to ask for a hug, which might seem cold, but when she flung herself at me, it always startled me badly. I really hate going to the doctor, and having them press the ice cold stethoscope against my bare skin.

I have a tough time with touching. Not only is it an invasion of my personal space, but I oft feel somewhat germy thereafter. Indeed, I have a set of difficulties with nearly anything physical, I could live in a Greek hypothesis!
As I have lived, I have also mellowed and adjusted. I live in emulation, and hugs are okay to pretty pleasant now - IF I really know and trust and care about that other person.

I agree with you completely. Tapping on the shoulder bugs me as well; that's a good idea to train your daughter to "ask first" before throwing herself on you. The stethescope problem seems incurable though; and they never do anything like "1, 2, 3..." before they do it. It's like WABAM! and its on you and it hurts.

For me, the touch is painful, unless I think about it first. People poking me in the stomach or the ribs or even just tapping me on the shoulder (especially when I'm at a computer or listening to my iPod) will drive me either into a panic or stim attack.

~AspieGirl89~

For me it depends when, where, how and who does the touching. I tolerate and even like from some people. The rest should stay away or I freak out. Also if people stand behind me. Grrrrrrrrrr. A few folk are fine with me though. The rest should stay away or they will get a taste of when I dislike something. lol

I hate touching... the only people who can encroach on my personal space are my hubby and my son. Even then, the first time my hubby touched me (we hadn't started dating yet) I literally jumped. Thankfully, he didn't freak out on me. lol

I hate touching to the point that even when I pay for items at a store, I put the money on the counter just so I don't have to put it in the cashier's hand. Then, if I have to get change... I always have my hands full so they have to put the change on the counter for me. No need for them to touch me at all.