Long hair as a sensory issue?
Since I can remember I have always wanted long hair, all the pretty girls have or want long hair or so it seems to a child.
And my Mum always wanted me to have long hair...
But as long as I can remember as soon as it got past a certain length I have an overwhelming desire to cut it all off!
It is a default for me when I am feeling overwhelmed or out of control in my life to go and cut my hair shorter.
Having recently been diagnosed as an Aspie, I am not wondering if this is actually a sensory issue?
Are there other people/girls/women who have experienced this?
I still want long hair, but as soon as it's long enough all I do it where it up in a pony tail all the time because I can't stand it out, getting all in my face and on my neck/back. But then I get headaches from wearing it up all day and my scalp feels bruised from it for hours after I take it out.
Is there any way around this?
I am thinking at this point maybe I am just better off finding a nice short hair style and calling it a day!
I might be imagining things, but I thought at one point Amythest, author of the "Ask an Autistic" series mentioned sensory issues as prompting her change to a "pixie" style.
Hair blowing in your eyes, whispering in your ears, or otherwise misbehaving certainly could get aggravating, just as other tactile bothers (tags/labels, scratchy clothes, etc.). I'd say go with what makes you most comfortable.
candleghost
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I used to be the same way -- I always wanted long hair but I always ended up chopping it off when I was overwhelmed or feeling out of control. I've been growing my hair out now for almost four years without cutting it at all (except for trimming the ends every now and then). Part of it is because I developed a fear of having it cut for some reason but I also became determined to grow it to my waist (I have four or five more inches to go and don't know if I'll end up cutting it at that point or keeping it). It does get annoying sometimes, almost to the point of being over-stimulating. What has helped me the most is watching Youtube videos on how to put it into buns and braids and different hairstyles.
I hope that's helpful in some way but if nothing else, I can relate!
BirdInFlight
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For most of my life I've been the opposite -- I had long hair and liked it because it was my shield and something to hide behind. I felt protected somehow by that long cape of hair around my face and around my shoulders. It was definitely a hiding thing for me, so the more around my face it was, the happier I was to be shielded from the world. I had no sensory issues with it -- I think my liking of feeling it was something to hide behind actually over-rode and cancelled out any sensory issues with it touching my face. I still had clothing sensory issues but not long hair sensory issues.
Now, however, ill health and aging has actually changed the texture of my hair. It used to be straight and silky and didn't feel bad at all against my neck and face and arms. But now it is coarser and can be frizzy, and that DOES now produce sensory issues with me.
However, I look horrible with short hair, so I keep it long but just wear it loose for a few limited hours per day when I'm out of the house -- and as before, the desire to have it to hide behind when out in public overrides any sensory issues. Once I get back home, I put it up in a bun to get it out of my face and neck.
candleghost
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Joined: 16 Oct 2016
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Now, however, ill health and aging has actually changed the texture of my hair. It used to be straight and silky and didn't feel bad at all against my neck and face and arms. But now it is coarser and can be frizzy, and that DOES now produce sensory issues with me.
However, I look horrible with short hair, so I keep it long but just wear it loose for a few limited hours per day when I'm out of the house -- and as before, the desire to have it to hide behind when out in public overrides any sensory issues. Once I get back home, I put it up in a bun to get it out of my face and neck.
I can relate to this. My hair has become something to hide behind now, something akin to a security blanket.
auntblabby
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I stopped cutting my hair when my hair cutter broke. it has been halfway down my back for several years now. have to wear it in a ponytail or else it is totally out of control in any breeze. even tied up, loose stranges get in my eyes and mouth and it sometimes bugs me, but my overarching goal is to grow it as long as it will grow. so I put up with the sensory things.
Gotta trim the split-ends off every few months though, or it'll continue to fray and be prone to tangling and breakage. That would ultimately be a limiting factor to overall length.
Noting my age...I will tell you that I've never had particularly " long " hair ever
, even thugh I liked rock 'n' roll music
. More later.
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auntblabby
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Gotta trim the split-ends off every few months though, or it'll continue to fray and be prone to tangling and breakage. That would ultimately be a limiting factor to overall length.
thank you for the info
And my Mum always wanted me to have long hair...
But as long as I can remember as soon as it got past a certain length I have an overwhelming desire to cut it all off!
It is a default for me when I am feeling overwhelmed or out of control in my life to go and cut my hair shorter.
Having recently been diagnosed as an Aspie, I am not wondering if this is actually a sensory issue?
Are there other people/girls/women who have experienced this?
I still want long hair, but as soon as it's long enough all I do it where it up in a pony tail all the time because I can't stand it out, getting all in my face and on my neck/back. But then I get headaches from wearing it up all day and my scalp feels bruised from it for hours after I take it out.
Well I'm not a woman but I have had long hair before and I can definitely tell you that I always felt over-stimulated with all that hair on. Always getting in the way, sometimes all the hairs don't behave as I want, do I have split ends, does it draw too much attention, etc etc. When I actually managed to get it all cut off I felt as if a great weight had been lifted not only from my head but from my psyche.
Being an Severe Aspie myself I can definitely say that long hair is a sensory overload issue like anything else is like light, the feel of certain fabrics, and noises. Apparently Aspies like us need everything, including our hair, to be neat and efficient or else it weighs on our minds and overstimulates.
Overstimulation can lead to meltdowns and that kind of thing is extremely hard on the heart. Take it from a guy who has had a heart attack at only 34 years old (42 now) and I can attest to this.
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Last edited by xatrix26 on 14 Oct 2017, 3:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Yes! I've had it exactly the same way!
Couldn't stand it once it got to that certain length, and shaved it all off in frustration.
I'm not sure if this is a sensory issue, as I have NT friends who's had the same "problem".
Right now my hair is longer than it's ever been. I've just forgotten to cut it off, and I believe it is because it passed that certain annoying length over the winter. Since I have no heating, I wear a hat at all times in that season, which it why I didn't notice it. Seems like you only have to fight through those few months of annoying length, and once it's passed that, it's no problem anymore.
Or, It's still a bit annoying when let out (just keeping it like this 'cause the boyfriend likes it) but as long as it's always tied up I don't really notice it. And it's great to have in the winter. Like an extra hat ![]()
I used to have long hair, and I used to like it, but after so long it got on my nerves. It was always making my back itch and got in my face all the time.
I had it all cut off a couple of months ago ^^
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StampySquiddyFan
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Yup! I have this problem too. My hair isn’t that long, but I need it in a ponytail constantly otherwise I get very agitated because I don’t like the feeling of hair touching my bare skin/neck.
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