Sensitivities
- Emily Kay
- Dec 7, 2024
- 5 min read
Intro~
This episode of RAW-tism talks about the ever-changing nature of sensitivities.
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Explanation
It’s crazy how sensitivities change daily and even hour by hour. Most days, I feel perfectly comfortable sitting on the couch wearing capris-length leggings and a tank top. I can’t have any exposed skin on other days because the wind burns. My skin sensitivities can range from numbing to so hyper-aware that I can’t even stand having anything touching me.
Clothing
You don’t have to have a diagnosis to have sensory issues. Let me make that clear: it’s common with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder, but those are not prerequisites for sensitivities.
Unfortunately, our bodies can’t always handle the sensory inputs we get daily. Sometimes, tags must be cut off the shirt, or a bodysuit needs to be worn underneath to have a more comfortable fabric between the shirt and the skin. Other times, there’s no way to be comfortable in a badly-textured fabric, and that’s okay.
When I say “badly-textured fabric,” that is all relative to the body experiencing discomfort. I could be walking through a thrift store, running my hand over different skirts to see if there’s any I want to try on, then suddenly flinch, drawing back my hand and wiping it on my pants as if I just touched something gross. To my mind, I did touch something gross. Another person could be in the same aisle, touch the same shirt, and become obsessed with the feeling of that texture in their hand. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, sensitivities vary widely between people.
To learn more about how my clothing sensitivities affect my life, please go to ArchlinkLLC.com to read my blog, where I share all my secrets about making life a more sensory-safe place for myself.
Food
Food sensitivities are a loaded topic for me. I am allergic to cinnamon. That one was tested and explicitly diagnosed as an allergy. I am also gluten intolerant, which is another diagnosis.
My sensitivities, however, are different stories. There are some that are possible allergens, but they also confuse me with the results. Coconut is difficult for me to swallow and makes me feel very nauseous if I force it down. I could taste the coconut oil my mom used to cook her eggs, even after the pan was put through the dishwasher, but there are some foods bought from the store made with coconut oil that I overlook until I’ve already eaten some.
Kiwi makes my mouth numb and lips tingly. It sounds funny, but it’s a very uncomfortable feeling. I used to eat it anyway because I liked the taste of the fruit, but eventually, the symptoms extended to stomach issues. This sounds like an allergy or at least a food intolerance, but I’ve accidentally tried drinks with kiwi juice in it and have been fine. This leads me to think it may be a sensitivity.
I can taste mustard seeds, no matter how little the food contains. If mustard is an ingredient, I’m going to spit it out. Lay’s Barbeque chips are delicious, but I can’t finish eating them because the flavoring used contains mustard.
Anything with pomegranate, passion fruit, or lavender in it triggers my chronic migraines, which is not a fun time.
Eating food with rosemary in it or even using shampoo with rosemary in it gives me the feeling of hives. I itch like crazy, and my skin feels bumpy, but I don’t actually find any hives, which has made me feel like it may be more of a sensitivity than an actual allergy.
Pineapple is a crazy one. It makes my esophagus swell up. Reminder that the esophagus is the eating tube; my breathing tube is unaffected. I can’t eat things for a few hours after trying to swallow pineapple, and my throat will be sore for days afterward. It sounds like an allergy, but even pink pineapples that are supposed to be safe for those allergic to pineapples give me this reaction. That makes me think it’s all in my head. Though, if something is in your head, it’s still valid. That’s not my way of invalidating my struggles. Your mind is a huge part of how your body functions. All the signals go to your head.
Orange extract and orange flavoring both give me indigestion. It’s almost as bad as ingesting gluten, but it doesn’t last as long.
Jasmine makes my tongue itch, which is a weird experience.
Lactose gives me bad stomach issues, but Lactaid and similar brands help with that, so I know it’s just an intolerance.
Pork hurts my stomach like crazy. The only pork I can eat is bacon bites. I have no idea why, but it works.
I have so many food issues/sensitivities that I have to keep a list on my phone to go off of because I am constantly forgetting what foods I need to avoid.
There’s also issues with texture when it comes to food sensitivities. I can’t eat jello because it is too slimy and gross. Angel hair pasta has always been a no for me, and there are sauces that I can’t fathom eating as a meal because of the disgusting texture.
I know what you’re thinking. “Emily, what the hell do you eat?” It seems like there are more foods on the list of foods I can’t eat than there are options for me. But, like a lot of people with sensory processing disorder or other sensitivities, I have safe foods that I tend to eat a lot. Chicken nuggets, strips, or tenders, and french fries used to be my go-to at every restaurant growing up. Now, gluten-free dino nuggets and crinkle or waffle fries are a dinner that I have almost daily. Salads, burgers without buns, unbreaded meats, and unbattered fries are my safest bets when out and about.
Safe foods are just that, almost always safe to eat. That’s usually why there is always that kid who gets mac and cheese at every restaurant they go to. Some foods are just comforting to those with trouble eating other foods.
Ad Break~
Vibrations
Vibrations are a big sensitivity for me, especially with loud sounds. Being at a concert tires me to my core because of the vibrations caused by loud sounds, not to mention the bright lights, large crowds, no caption option, and behavioral expectations. (I used to bang my hands against my head as a coping mechanism, etc — describe how you used to cope with these sensitivities compared to how you help yourself now)
Outro~
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