Do You Find Yourself Dislike Being Touched?

[sea]

I tolerate touch by my family as long as I know it's coming. In regards to strangers, if you don't ask my permission first you're likely to get either slammed upside the head or a very rude "Don't f*cking touch me!" in response. It activates my startle response really strongly. I violently react to it. I hate being touched.

 

[Cthulhu]

I have avoided being touched as long as I remember by myself and by my parent's stories. Even as a baby I didn't like to be hugged or held or whatever else. Well, I have an Asperger's diagnosis, that may be the only point of it.

Just today I thought of it- I wished a colleague a happy birthday and shook her hand like I always do in that case- with everyone. I saw that she was ready to get hugged by me- it's this special little gesture people make when wanting to hug or being hugged... But I just couldn't do it. I am able to bear getting hugged by whoever if it is unavoidable without being really rude- but it is really a huge overcoming to do it myself because I really really hate it. But when I avoid it and see the other person is disappointed... Well, that's not a bit better... But I just can't help myself... I can't bear and if I do nevertheless, I'm totally overstrung after it, for hours.

If someone touches me from behind it may happen that I instinctively hit him... Yeah, not a good thing, I know. Not knock him/her down but just hit.

In the past I explained it to others by the rapings and the being-restrained-related things that happened in my childhood. But I don't know if that's really the point of it or if I'm like that by nature.

I can accept to be hugged or hug my partner. It isn't necessary for me but I can do it without any problem. But he's the only person (not he alone but all partners I had since now). But even with him I couldn't fall asleep while being touched or hugged by him or whoever else.

It's not that my mind, hormones- whatever wouldn't want some of those totally normal touch- related things people like to do... It's just that my body doesn't feel it the way it should- it's just far too much.
I can enjoy the very small things with very special persons though-persons to whom I have an inner connection (of which they often don't know themselves)- a short 'meeting' of hands when giving or taking something from someone I like. It can feel very warm, energy-rich. Of course the other person never knows what it means to me- it is something so small that it is never noticed conciously.

 

[Heather]

I still have a HUGE problem with being touched. For awhile I didn't even like it when my 7 y/o would touch me but thankfully that has gotten a little better. I can give her hugs and kisses without my skin crawling anymore.

But with anyone else.... Major discomfort. Although I will let my D.V. counselor give me a hug but she always asks me first which I appreciate. But I've known her for over a year so, that's progress right?

 

[Moony]

Yeah that's progress :) Every second longer that you can stand to be touched is an improvement. I've started asking my close friends to touch me lightly on the arm now and again, just so that I can become more comfortable with it. I really hate it sometimes. I don't mind handshakes, they're too formal for me to care I think. I wish I knew why I don't like it. Even when I know the person is only doing it to be affectionate, there's a voice screaming in my head telling them to stop. My close friends tend to not touch me normally because they said I give off a sort of 'don't touch me' vibe :/

 

[freakofnurture]

I have avoided being touched as long as I remember by myself and by my parent's stories. Even as a baby I didn't like to be hugged or held or whatever else.

Me too, although I don't have Asperger's. I think it's because as a baby I felt most threatened when I was carried around, since my f*ther had to put me to bed (m*ther went to bed early) and spent a big amount of his sacred free nights carrying around the little insomniac sh*t who gets everything because she's cute.

When I have a really bad day, I can't even stand my husband (whose touch I normally love) or the cat being in the same room with me. Other people coming closer feels like they have a repelling magnetic field around them, and when they get too close I get cold shivers running down my back.

It got better overall, though. For a while I needed to wash my hands after a handshake and brush over my clothes after someone bumped into me. This need is gone.

 

[Ted Moen]

Touch is an approach avoidance thing for me. Receiving touch feels nice and normal people seem to touch all the time, making me envious, but at the same time touch is a trigger signaling I have gotten careless and let someone get too close to me and stuff is going to start exploding any minute now unless I do something to get every back a safe distance away.

Ted

 

[OKRADLAK]

Hate it and physically react. I get nauseated.If I have to go to Dr, I can react. I went into seizures from a blood draw. Had pain two weeks after a mild procedure that would not have hurt a flea.

I hate it. Period.

 

[shell]

I hate hugging, receiving or giving, and I especially hate hugs or touches from behind. My skin crawls and I need to escape.

 

[AngelaMarie]

I only can stand touches from my children every day. I make a point to hug and kiss them everyday. However, other people, including husband is very difficult for me. It stems from my childhood. My grandmother made me rub her back, wash her back in the bath. She made me kiss her every night. She used me. (I have never said this before). I got to the point I couldn't stand to be touched. I am hoping eventually I may overcome it.

 

[OKRADLAK]

Angela, I am also trying to overcome it. I even hate when the cashier brushes my hand when giving the receipt. It is not OCD or germ phobia. It's just that since this happened my senses have gotten very acute. I should do a poll on that!

 

[Moony]

Is there any way to make the feeling go away? I'm sick of flinching everytime someone (except my mum) touches me.

 

[OKRADLAK]

Moony. I think time. Time and also making it a point to touch other people. First to touch them before they touch you.