How sensitive are you physically?

[anima]

It's hard to answer the sensitivity bit of this poll question. I suppose, though, that I'm less sentitive to touch...

I'm not very sensitive to pain, with exception in certain areas of the body, my head being the most notable of these.

None of the tattoos I have hurt at all while I was getting them, and the one on my leg only hurt afterwards once when I hit a drawer pull against my leg in the kitchen. Last December when I fell in the parking lot outside where I used to go to school and busted my knee open... that didn't really hurt. Most of the injuries I have received, I don't notice for a bit because it doesn't hurt that much.

However, I don't let people tickle me because such a touch is not comfortable or amusing -- it's painful. People don't seem to get that, either, and I freak out when people try to tickle me for any reason. The palms of my hands and bottoms of my feet are also very sensitive, yet I still like to go barefoot as much as possible. Heh. Maybe it's because of the socks and shoes combination...

But yeah. So, I guess I'm average sensitivity...

[Jockey]

I'm an aspie with diagnosed sensory integration disorder. I hate light touch. I can deal with hi fives, firm handshakes, any DEEP touch. My therapist used to practice situations with me. If someone asks to shake my hand, I say, No thanks, would you like a hi five?

It's a little bit better if I'm the one who does the touching. Also, I can tolerate touch more if I'm rocking or swinging. For example, when I was a baby, my parents could hold me as long as they were always rocking me; if they stopped, I cried.

[Lors]

I'm not sure how to differentiate between 'high' and 'low' sensitivity, but I would guess high. In either case, I don't like physical contact.

ditto.

[Tanwen]

High sensitivity and certain degree of physicla contact. I cna't bear anyone to touch my neck, I can start choking...maybe I was strangled or hanged in a former life... :shock:

[Wineblood]

I put down high sensitivity and dont like it. Mainly because most of the time I'm in a situation where touching is not cool (eating, in front of comp, working, etc)

My mum insists on touching me all the time, especially my head. And eventually I go hysterical, it's my only trigger.

[LostPenguin]

Didn't vote. I've got an average sensitivity, I think. I mean, if anyone pokes me anywhere near my "erogenous zones" accidentially or whatever, I flip out. Jump out of my skin, near about. But other spots, I'm fine. And something I've been thinking for a long time.. is that I read once that there are more sensitive nerve endings in the lips than almost anywhere else. I think that's not the case with me, as sometimes my mouth seems more insensitive than my hands or anything else.

Peh. I'm just weird. XD

[dyyanae]

Voted high sensitivity and don't like to be touched. But I'm not sure if this is my natural state or a result of an auto-immune condition I have (similar to Lupus)

One of the effects is *extreme* skin sensitivity. I've forgotten the accurate medical term, but my family calls it 'Princess and the Pea Syndrome'. On the worst days I can't bear *anything* touching my skin. Which makes getting dressed a unique and humorous challenge (if you can't beat it, laugh at it)

Sleeping arrangements can be interesting too! Silk sheets sometimes have to be spread on the kitchen floor, since that's the only non-textured floor we have. On *those* days, I can count every fiber on the bed coverings, even when covered in the smoothest sheets we have.

On the other hand, I seem to have a pretty high pain tolerance. But again, this could be because I've learned to deal with a lot of pain over the years.

[birdnerd]

I've reconsidered, and I'm probably high sensitivity/dislike physical contact. For this reason, I don't like going to the doctor, and I no longer make the mistake of telling anyone how ticklish I am. Anyone who tickles me WILL get kicked in the shin, and I'm generally not a violent person.

[HelloToYou]

I am very sensitive in the sense that I am very ticklish, but as far as erogenous zones go.... I'm not sure what it's supposed to feel like... it usually just ends up tickling, being annoying, being in a spot that I don't want touched, or no responce. As for wheather or not I like being touched... I like hugs where your whole body is touching the other person and I like physical contact sometimes, but there is other kinds that I don't like. I also don't much care for physical contact with people I don't know well.

[Verin]

Fairly sensitive but i don't really like to be touched, a friendly hug i have no problem with but thats about my limit.

[Tigoness]

I LOVE hugs. Loooong hugs. :) The type of hugs when you can feel the other person's heart beating against your chest, air filling the leaving thier lungs, stomache moving against your own. Thier breath on the side of your neck... *sighs quietly* ...I really miss that. :( The one person I still share that warm feeling with is all the way in Leeds! ...And he has a girlfriend. Though the two of us are still very close. :) He kisses my face sometimes, wich is really sweet. :) My forehead and cheeks mainly. Kissed my nose once. :P So cute.

[Retasha]

I'm also an Aspie, and I despise physical contact. I can't stand to be touched by anyone other than my closest family, and even then I have trouble with it. I can't handle being hugged at all. Oddly enough, I love it when people touch the back part of my hair, but I literally lash out if the front part of my hair is touched. I don't have any trouble about pain, either. Pain I can manage by focusing on what color I see it as.

[anticulus]

Not sure how sensitive I am compared to others, mostly because I've never been in any body other than my own. I'm think I'm fairly ticklish but I never let people have enough physical contact with me to let that be known.

I'm not comfortable with physical contact in general. Anything beyond a handshake seems unnecessary to me.

[Brodertun]

I think it would be interesting to combine this with the uncomfortable in certain types of clothing thread.

I consider myself sensitive to touch, and with the exception of a few very meaningful, close friends, I don't like to be touched.

I also prefer baggy clothes, and hate snug ones.

[LostPenguin]

I said low and don't like. But it varies for me. I don't mind being touched by people I'm familiar with, like in a friendly way- a tap on the shoulder, a hug, whatever. But if I even get nudged by someone I don't know or a random object, it freaks me out. Still, I have low sensitivity. I deal well with pain, too.

[Islander9]

I am highly sensitive to physical touching, both me touching things (this is a facet of having poor sight I think) and me being touched (which I only tolerate by a very circumscribed group of people (= close family and old friends.)

I go rigid when there are promiscuous huggers around, and have taken to wearing hats with *large* brims in a hongi line -which kinda limits the hongi-only take it off for esteemed olds...)

And - apropos the clothes thread - I loathe tight clothing and can only wear cotton, silk, or wool (otherwise I get exzymaceous rashes.)

Anyone else bothered by crowds?

[KAGU143]

Anyone else bothered by crowds?

I avoid crowds whenever I can, but I can tolerate them for a limited amount of time when necessary.

Something that is hard to explain to some people is the very real fact that being in a crowd is physically exhausting for me. It isn't that I'm afraid of the people or unable to enjoy the attraction (if that's the reason for the crowd), just that I can't relax and let my guard down if there are strangers around.

As an example, I enjoy going to business conventions because they are educational and they are the only chance I normally have to see a lot of my old aquaintances. The bad part is that they are crowded and all of the events are VERY tightly scheduled.

I usually need about 2 full days of down time to recover after all of the socializing, traveling, etc.

Even going shopping wears me out to some extent. I try to schedule all of my erands together for this reason, because I'm not fit for work when I get back from them.

-Greybird

[Towenden]

I have low sensitivity. My body is kind of... brutish I guess. I can handle most pain really well. But I don't like being touched at all.

[maco]

Oh, I'm a HOPELESSLY huggy, touchy-feely type. Not in a sexual way (though men sometimes mistake it for such!) More as a way of communicating that which cannot be communicated with words!

Since I've worked with terminally ill people for years, holding a frightened hand, or stroking the shoulder of someone in desparate pain can be as therapeutical as another dose of morphine!

I'm often told that I have no concept of "personal space". Whether that is a compliment or a complaint, has to do with the other person's wish for personal space. Fortunately just about everyone I know is not in any way threatened by me!

Love,

Mom

I'm like you. I don't understand personal space. I like to right up next to the person I'm speaking with. I always hold them too. I'll grab their arm or shoulder, or throw an arm about the waist or round the shoulders. I always have to touch people. Really, only Americans have a big anti-touch thing. Americans seem to believe less than 2 feet is "too close". Europeans see nothing wrong with 6 inches!

Crowds don't bother me always. In the context of a concert, I'm fine with them. I like to dance and have fun with good music. In the context of a school dance, I end up going crazy. I do mean crazy. I get really weird and mood-swing and turn into a bitch and turn moody and want to do nothing but listen to angry music and scream along.

[Islander9]

Thanks for responses re crowds Greybird-

I have had to deal with really large crowds (upwards of a thousand which is really large when you come from a village of 30+....) I sweat a lot lot; I lose my fluency of language, my face goes rigid.

I now NEVER get into a crowd - if I have a choice.

Apropos personal space: I was fascinated by Mom's & maco's comments:

I find Europeans (over there, in Europe) really understanding about ANZer's personal space (because most of the ones I've met are like it too.)

Whereas - USA Americans!!!! You fellas keep moving up towards us! You hug on sight! And your voices and body language just keeps on coming on!

OK, love you for it - but the only places I've felt comfortable with Americans in my limited trips to there (7) were in Four Corners Area - annd a wee space in New Englnd.

Ah well - but I thank all people in the USA for the warm hospitality your people granted me on those trips. I try to reciprocate, when i can.

But I must admit I found myself *so* much more at ease in Scotland and the Scandanavian countries I visited!

[maco]

Hmm I don't know about hugging in Europe. I know there a kiss is a greeting while here it's reserved for loved ones. I suppose we do hug more here though (but hey, that's instead of the kiss!). I recall being told that if you go to Germany, when you stand in the queue, everyone packs in like sardines. The person behind you is right on your back. Here lines spread out quite far because people don't like to stand that close to each other.

[deladangerous]

How physically sensitive am I?

Somewhere between "very" and "verily".

Sometimes I also experience something like that thing that gradeschool kids do to one another, moving their finger close to someone else's skin and saying "I'm not touching you!!"... just when people are standing close to me or pass by.

I usually don't mind some people touching me, though. It can be nice at the right place and time.

[anann]

I am really sensitive to touch and I don't like to be touched. I am really ticklish and tend to role up in a ball to try to get away. I also feel things that I don't think actually touch me, or the sensation lasts long after the actual thing is gone. It gets annoying sometimes, but I’m pretty used to it. Does anyone else feel things that aren’t actually touching you anymore?

[Steeple333]

I think I'm average. I like hugging. ^.^

So that's "average - yes"

[dyyanae]

Does anyone else feel things that aren’t actually touching you anymore?

Yes, I get that a *lot*. I also have phantom sensations of things that wre never there to begin with. I think the Dr. called it 'dyserethesia' or something to that effect. Whatever it is...it's damn irritating :lol:

[anann]

Thanks Dyyanae. It really is irritating!

[ilovepoodles]

High sensitivity and DONT like physical contact

I generally hate being touched. Cuddling with in a romantic (but asexual) way is nice sometimes, but almost always physical contact makes me cringe and feel sick.

[Fayetje]

High sensitivity and I generally like it, if it's from someone I approve of touching me.

I am SUPER ticklish though. And everywhere. Feet, toes, legs, stomach, back, arms, hands, fingers....I'm probably even ticklish on the top of my head, but no one's tried that. If I were ever a prisoner-of-war and they wanted secrets from me, all they would have to do is tickle me and I'd spill everything. :lol:

[jaybird721]

Hmm, I'm extremely sensitive to touch... I like affectionate touch [hugs, etc.] but I completely spaz out when tickled [and def. don't enjoy it - not breathing isn't fun]. What does that go under?

[Azure Tail]

Does anyone else feel things that aren’t actually touching you anymore?

Yes, I get that a *lot*. I also have phantom sensations of things that wre never there to begin with. I think the Dr. called it 'dyserethesia' or something to that effect. Whatever it is...it's damn irritating :lol:

I don't get those often. What I do get occasionally is sometimes parts of my body will feel uh.. hm. I'm not sure how to describe it. Maybe if "glowy" was a feeling instead of a visual that would work. I dunno. *@_@*;

Anyways, I can't believe I forgot about this, but a day or so ago I was trying to fall asleep and had my back up when I suddenly woke up because it felt like someone had jabbed me right in the middle of my back. I know sometimes people get that full body twitch thing right before falling asleep, but this honestly felt like a jab in a particular spot. It really freaked me out, because there was NOTHING that could've done it. It was really, really weird...! *o.O* My back is starting to ache thinking about it, lol.

I should say something on topic though. I am really sensitive to touch and if someone surprises me, I will respond violently, partially through instinct, partially through training. It was horrible when a bunch of my friends in high school got the idea that sneaking up behind people and poking them in the sides was a great idea. I used to just jump and maybe flail randomly, but now I jump and do a backwards elbow strike. If I miss, I'll usually follow it up with a conscious attempt to otherwise injure the offender.

*coughs* But if have warning I generally don't mind, and actually do like cuddling to an extent. Thing is, most people don't seem to understand the concept of warning, so they only know about my violent reactions. So I didn't vote in the poll, because none of the options applied.