By Cory Singer
Can you hear me? Being autistic without a doubt has many challenges. One of the biggest challenges that I face as an autistic person are sensory issues. Now what is a sensory issue or challenge? Autistic People face sensory challenges on different levels with sound, taste, touch or texture and even smell. Now allists also experience sensitivity to different things but not on the same level that we do. It is next level sensitivity that can sometimes lead to meltdowns.
I am going to start with sound sensory issues. Let’s say for example you are in a restaurant and you are autistic. Guests are speaking, people are sitting down, getting up, waiters are taking orders, there is a lot going on around you that is to be expected. But as an autistic, I only hear the clinking of plates and silverware and the sound of people chewing their food. It makes me nauseous and the sounds are extremely loud to me. I get agitated to the extent that people have shared how they feel when there are nails scratching a chalkboard. I can be sitting next to someone who is or is not autistic and these sounds will not bother them.
At my day job I work in a factory with a lot of machines running constantly. These sounds can be overwhelming to me. Add employees talking, walking, bright lights and the stress of meeting my job expectations and completing my job requirements on time..it is like living in the middle of a firework show. I get sensory overload consistently at work. My ears start to physically hurt me, I can get headaches and I sometimes have to escape to the bathroom just to center myself again. When I watch television, I have to keep the volume lower than most people. Many autistic people have to wear noise canceling earbuds or headphones just to be able to go about their daily life. This is very ironic because I have been told that I talk very loud and I am also a singer by trade. But to myself, I do not hear myself as a loud person.
I LOVE to eat, I am a foodie. But taste sensory challenges are a whole other plate of fun and a complex issue for many autistics. For one there are certain foods that many autistic people will not eat. For example, I do not eat fish because I do not like the texture of the food in my mouth. The taste of fish feels dirty to me like I am eating slime. Growing up I had a very limited food palette. One time my mother took me to a pediatrician because she was worried that I would only eat cheese and ketchup sandwiches and chicken nuggets. The doctor told her to chill out and let me be.. And even joked that I was hitting most of the food groups. Through my tik tok I have learned that I share this sensory challenge with many other autistics. As I got older and braver my food palette grew but I still have certain foods that I cannot eat. One cool thing about the way I process the taste of food is that I can actually tell the difference between brands of food, For instance, ground turkey! The only ground turkey I can eat and tolerate is butterball. That is not saying other brands are bad, it is just the one I like the most. The only other brand of ground turkey I can eat is Kirkland brand 93%...but only and I mean only if there is no butterball available. I can also taste the difference in water. My favorite is Poland Spring, I can’t drink store brand water lol. I tend to eat a lot of the same foods most of the time because then I don’t have to deal with not being able to enjoy a meal. Once I find something I like I stay loyal. Yum.
Most allists go through life not having to prepare to face lights. Sight sensory challenges are a daily challenge for me. I have issues with bright lights, the sun and certain types of lightbulbs. I am a driver but driving at night is very difficult for me. I can actually feel blinded by lights from other cars. If I am in a room with bright colors my eyes can start to hurt. Blinking or strobe lights can give me an instant migraine headache. I have been living with cluster migraine headaches since I was a little boy, so I take the time to plan ahead. I have been known to wear sunglasses inside at times and look cool while doing so. I avoid lights that blink because they can also give me a migraine headache quickly. Overall I think this is a sensory challenge that many autistics live with.
Texture sensory challenges is a really touchy subject for me haha. When it comes to clothing, I have to cut the tags off all of my clothing. For many autistics the tags are more irritating to our skin than allists. I am also sensitive to certain fabrics. I prefer cotton but I do not like the way denim feels on my skin. Now I do wear jeans but they have to be really soft and well worn. I hate tight fitting clothing, it makes me feel stressed out and squeezed and out of breath. I actually get anxiety when I see other people wearing tight fitting clothing or jackets. I also wear nitrile gloves about 75% of my day. I do not like the feel of vinyl gloves and I am allergic to latex gloves. I hate the feeling of door knobs and other surfaces. If I am not wearing gloves, I will use my shirt to open any door. When I was little I couldn’t stand when people touched me. It took me years to give cheek kisses and learn to love hugs. I still have issues with this but as I have gotten older it has gotten a bit better. Sometimes when I feel someone touch my skin it feels uncomfortable. I have to mask my way through these situations because I don’t want to offend anyone. Allists do not understand what we go through with sensory challenges.
I get smell overload in candle stores, certain restaurants and in many public places. Sometimes I smell things that other people can’t because I am ultra sensitive to most odors. I don’t wear alot of cologne because it overwhelms me. I use mostly unscented bathing and hair products for the same reason. Some people love the smell of pine cones, cinnamon and even flowers. I prefer not to smell anything. If I had to lose any of my senses it would be smell. The only smell I love is the smell of a new guitar and the smell of new graphic novels. It is something to do with the type of paper that is used. I know that it is odd to most people but that type of smell is a good smell for me.
Overall, I do think most people experience different types of sensory challenges, but I have learned in my autism community that most of us experience many different challenges than most. As a child it was more difficult for me because I could not express how I felt or explain why certain things made me hurt, uncomfortable or out of place. It has gotten better for me because I have zero shame about these challenges and I know it helps others to have me be honest and share my experiences with them. Just be you and communicate how you feel when you are bothered or challenged.