"Person With Disability, NOT Disabled Person! Person first language is less demeaning!" is something you hear a lot of Non Disabled people insist on, especially when it comes to Autism. "Not autistic! Person With Autism! See the person- not the autism!"
BUT the reasoning behind this is incorrect and often very
secretly-ableist in the case of autism. This is another of those cases
where ableism is happening even though people don’t realize it.
For those of you reading along, let me explain this:
Point 1:
It isn’t a thing I have, I am not “a person With it”, I would be a corpse Without it.
A Person with Diabetes is a human individual who Has diabetes. If you take the diabetes away they will be happier and healthier.
People who think autism could be taken out of an autistic do horrific
things to us to try to make that happen- they want to cure us of how
our brains work. To take the autism out of me, I would be a dead body.
Point 2, and the really creepy part when you see what you’ve been told your whole life:
People reason that the girl with autism should be called that because
the girl should be first not the autism… why? because the autism is…..
bad.
“See the person not the condition.” Where does this kind of thinking come from? Why don’t you want to see my autism, people?
See me, not everything about me and how I think and live? Why not?
What’s wrong with seeing my autism? What’s so horrible? Why won’t you
see me as I am, instead of with a qualifier about how I still count as a
human?
Person First Language is sadly based in the assumption that you should NOT see the Disability. That it is a tragedy to be hidden or ignored. That I am human in spite of my disability, not Along With it.
So, unless someone asks for person first lang, (and they’ve probably been told to do so, sadly) please try not to use it.
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autism. Show all posts
Friday, March 25, 2016
Monday, December 14, 2015
Auditory Processing Disorder? I thought you were autistic?
Yes, but the two often go together. I was never diagnosed with APD because if I wasn't autistic I probably wouldn't have APD either. It's just another part of how my brain works. (Some people have APD without being autistic, though.)
The main thing about it, for me, is that I have No Cocktail Party Effect. This is the casual name for the thing your brain does where it listens to the thing you’re trying to hear, and totally doesn’t register the things you’re not trying to hear.
Mine can’t do that. I hear everything. All the time. And I have excellent physical hearing, boosted by autistic hyper-sensory abilities: That is, my physical ears are just like everyone elses’ who has typically functioning Hearing ears, but my autistic brain has all the sensory intake areas turned up to 11, so my brain picks up way more from my auditory nerve than a neurotypical brain would.
End result, I have freakishly good hearing, but that’s not as useful as it sounds because of the aforesaid Auditory Processing Thing. I hear everything, and my brain doesn’t see a need to sort out any of it. If there’s a room full of people I can hear every single conversation at once, every rustle of cloth, every exhalation and footstep, and understand none of the things being said.
I often do not tell people, especially strangers, that I am Autistic, but I usually have to tell them, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that last thing you said- I have an auditory processing disorder, and I hear everything else in this room as well as you. Could you please face me when you speak?”
The main thing about it, for me, is that I have No Cocktail Party Effect. This is the casual name for the thing your brain does where it listens to the thing you’re trying to hear, and totally doesn’t register the things you’re not trying to hear.
Mine can’t do that. I hear everything. All the time. And I have excellent physical hearing, boosted by autistic hyper-sensory abilities: That is, my physical ears are just like everyone elses’ who has typically functioning Hearing ears, but my autistic brain has all the sensory intake areas turned up to 11, so my brain picks up way more from my auditory nerve than a neurotypical brain would.
End result, I have freakishly good hearing, but that’s not as useful as it sounds because of the aforesaid Auditory Processing Thing. I hear everything, and my brain doesn’t see a need to sort out any of it. If there’s a room full of people I can hear every single conversation at once, every rustle of cloth, every exhalation and footstep, and understand none of the things being said.
I often do not tell people, especially strangers, that I am Autistic, but I usually have to tell them, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that last thing you said- I have an auditory processing disorder, and I hear everything else in this room as well as you. Could you please face me when you speak?”
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Doing or Not Doing. Yeah more zen.
Q: “What do you do to get more energy?”
A: “I… don’t.”
That. That’s it. I do “nothing”.. in the sense that I do less in order to have more energy. To keep my energy for things I need to do, I have cut back on things I do not need to do so often, or could do slowly, or could do another day. I have Chronic Clinical Depression as well as being autistic, so I do often feel that I run out of energy very fast.
What I do is choose very carefully how much activity or sensory input I will engage in each day. I realize this isn’t something that most people can do sometimes, but you may have to make a lot of changes to address energy in this method.
I am not saying it is the best method for everyone, but it is working for me. It is hard to get used to being so gentle with myself. I do not like turning down some invitations to save energy for doctor appointments. Sometimes I would rather go out on the town with my friends than sit indoors and watch a movie with them, but these are the kind of choices I make so as to limit my use of energy.
Now, I am not saying, “Do only necessary things and have no fun at all.” By all means do not do that- it would not be a balanced lifestyle and could lead to problems. Humans are often better off with a balanced life. Do some fun things. Do some needful things. But do less of both, and try not to do everything all at once. I do my healthcare routine of shower etc., then one or two needful things per day like a class or appointment, then I do one or maybe two fun things, either with friends or by doing my art.
I have, I realize, the privilege of being able to set up my life right now so that I am not very busy. It might not be possible for you to do exactly what I do but you can find ways to be a little less busy, which might lead to being less overwhelmed or tired out. Personally, it is healthier for me to avoid being too busy.
Culture right now is very insistent that if you’re not super busy and always tired, you must be “uninformed”, “unpopular” or “unsuccessful”. Ignore that noise. Slow it down. Life is not a competition. Life is life.
A: “I… don’t.”
That. That’s it. I do “nothing”.. in the sense that I do less in order to have more energy. To keep my energy for things I need to do, I have cut back on things I do not need to do so often, or could do slowly, or could do another day. I have Chronic Clinical Depression as well as being autistic, so I do often feel that I run out of energy very fast.
What I do is choose very carefully how much activity or sensory input I will engage in each day. I realize this isn’t something that most people can do sometimes, but you may have to make a lot of changes to address energy in this method.
I am not saying it is the best method for everyone, but it is working for me. It is hard to get used to being so gentle with myself. I do not like turning down some invitations to save energy for doctor appointments. Sometimes I would rather go out on the town with my friends than sit indoors and watch a movie with them, but these are the kind of choices I make so as to limit my use of energy.
Now, I am not saying, “Do only necessary things and have no fun at all.” By all means do not do that- it would not be a balanced lifestyle and could lead to problems. Humans are often better off with a balanced life. Do some fun things. Do some needful things. But do less of both, and try not to do everything all at once. I do my healthcare routine of shower etc., then one or two needful things per day like a class or appointment, then I do one or maybe two fun things, either with friends or by doing my art.
I have, I realize, the privilege of being able to set up my life right now so that I am not very busy. It might not be possible for you to do exactly what I do but you can find ways to be a little less busy, which might lead to being less overwhelmed or tired out. Personally, it is healthier for me to avoid being too busy.
Culture right now is very insistent that if you’re not super busy and always tired, you must be “uninformed”, “unpopular” or “unsuccessful”. Ignore that noise. Slow it down. Life is not a competition. Life is life.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Day 30- Norovirus is the flu from hell.
..and I will not be convinced otherwise. Getting that on top of my sinus sickness was
bad.
I have not been so sick in years. Uf. But the norovirus is fading off, leaving me weak, shaky, dehydrated but back to where I was before- just sinus sick. Compared to that hellish flu, this isn't too bad.
It is interfering with my work and school though. I was gonna make some very cool stuff for a production, but they're going to have to use what they have already, with a few exceptions I might be able to manage for them if I move slowly and just have them come pick things up from my house.
I am probably going to have to withdraw on medical grounds from my classes. This sinus thing is making me far too foggy in the head to cope with Academia. I am autistic and in my case that means easily overwhelmed by complex stressors of executive function, and I can't cope with being sick and school at the same time. I thought I could, but I can't.
"Sculpt this", "paint that"; these are things that use an entirely different chunk of brain from, "comprehend and analyze this in a literary fashion according to these parameters". It's that Academic level on which I cannot function right now.
And I just got word that my insurance refuses to let me get surgery on Monday. I cannot heal or become healthy until the surgery happens. There is an infection inside the bones of my face that will not respond to antibiotics and my insurance wants "Authorization" before they'll let me get surgery. Which means waiting a few more weeks probably.
So. Frustrating.
Edit, next day: Worked out a thing with insurance whereby I will pay up front for those parts of the surgery they want to "authorize" and would have delayed it for, I get the surgery, then they reimburse me after they "authorize" it. I mean seriously it's worth it even if I had to pay out of pocket for the whole darn thing.
bad.
I have not been so sick in years. Uf. But the norovirus is fading off, leaving me weak, shaky, dehydrated but back to where I was before- just sinus sick. Compared to that hellish flu, this isn't too bad.
It is interfering with my work and school though. I was gonna make some very cool stuff for a production, but they're going to have to use what they have already, with a few exceptions I might be able to manage for them if I move slowly and just have them come pick things up from my house.
I am probably going to have to withdraw on medical grounds from my classes. This sinus thing is making me far too foggy in the head to cope with Academia. I am autistic and in my case that means easily overwhelmed by complex stressors of executive function, and I can't cope with being sick and school at the same time. I thought I could, but I can't.
"Sculpt this", "paint that"; these are things that use an entirely different chunk of brain from, "comprehend and analyze this in a literary fashion according to these parameters". It's that Academic level on which I cannot function right now.
And I just got word that my insurance refuses to let me get surgery on Monday. I cannot heal or become healthy until the surgery happens. There is an infection inside the bones of my face that will not respond to antibiotics and my insurance wants "Authorization" before they'll let me get surgery. Which means waiting a few more weeks probably.
So. Frustrating.
Edit, next day: Worked out a thing with insurance whereby I will pay up front for those parts of the surgery they want to "authorize" and would have delayed it for, I get the surgery, then they reimburse me after they "authorize" it. I mean seriously it's worth it even if I had to pay out of pocket for the whole darn thing.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Post-dated post: 4th of July Rant
I hate living in a state where anyone can get their hands on fireworks.
Excuse me while I spend the next 48 hours in a state of hypervigilance due to startle response, and stifling bad Firestorm ‘03 Trauma-flashbacks from the smell of ashes and sulfur and plastics burning.
*off to huddle under heavy blanket and weep softly*
I don’t think I Love My Country. I wish I lived in a place that celebrated things with music, or concerts, or folk dances, or candle vigils. Instead of Explosives.
Excuse me while I spend the next 48 hours in a state of hypervigilance due to startle response, and stifling bad Firestorm ‘03 Trauma-flashbacks from the smell of ashes and sulfur and plastics burning.
*off to huddle under heavy blanket and weep softly*
I don’t think I Love My Country. I wish I lived in a place that celebrated things with music, or concerts, or folk dances, or candle vigils. Instead of Explosives.
"You must be VERY High Functioning!" AUGH.
Okay I just had this discussion (but in much more diplomatic and polite terms)
with a medical professional
AGAIN.*
And No, they do not Know Better either, so lemme clear this up for yall.
Stop telling autistic people they are “Sooo High Functioning!” with this congratulatory grin,
like you think it’s some kind of compliment that you, a layperson without knowledge of autism, cannot magically “tell” an autistic person from anyone else. Autism has no physical markers.
Look by this year and time, we most of us know why it would be bad to say, upon meeting someone who is a racial minority,
“Oh, wow, You’re *race*? I couldn’t even tell! You must be VERY educated! you’re so.. articulate!”
That is how you sound.
That is how you sound.
That is how you sound when you try to compliment autistic people by saying, “Ooh you’re so high functioning!”
You sound like a Granny saying, “Oh Dearie I couldn’t even tell you was Colored! You’re so well spoken and hardworking!”
You say those things and what we hear is “Oh you’re almost a real human being like me! You hid your nasty, nasty disadvantage sooo well! Congratulations, I couldn’t even tell you were so subhuman!”
We’re not hiding anything and we’re not happy with your insinuations that we ought to, or with your hints that it’s sooo nice we are Almost Real People Like You.
*
I have met, in an entire lifetime of interacting with Medical professionals, exactly ONE who knew any actual facts about Autism and did not instantly, well-meaningly, try to“compliment” me with patronizing nonsense learned from Autism Speaks billboards.
One.
And I have a series of medical problems meaning I’ve got a kind of networked team of pros that changes every time I move.
Psychiatrists & psychologists sometimes know a little about autism.
Medical professionals generally can be expected to know worse than nothing. (yes I consider misinformation and patronization to be worse. The only plus is that they DO know vaccines cannot cause autism.)
I realize they are not in the mental health field but it might behoove the colleges and courses to take a few weeks of medical schooling to cover some common disabilities and conditions, and how NOT to talk to people who are/have them! *facepalm*
with a medical professional
AGAIN.*
And No, they do not Know Better either, so lemme clear this up for yall.
Stop telling autistic people they are “Sooo High Functioning!” with this congratulatory grin,
like you think it’s some kind of compliment that you, a layperson without knowledge of autism, cannot magically “tell” an autistic person from anyone else. Autism has no physical markers.
Look by this year and time, we most of us know why it would be bad to say, upon meeting someone who is a racial minority,
“Oh, wow, You’re *race*? I couldn’t even tell! You must be VERY educated! you’re so.. articulate!”
That is how you sound.
That is how you sound.
That is how you sound when you try to compliment autistic people by saying, “Ooh you’re so high functioning!”
You sound like a Granny saying, “Oh Dearie I couldn’t even tell you was Colored! You’re so well spoken and hardworking!”
You say those things and what we hear is “Oh you’re almost a real human being like me! You hid your nasty, nasty disadvantage sooo well! Congratulations, I couldn’t even tell you were so subhuman!”
We’re not hiding anything and we’re not happy with your insinuations that we ought to, or with your hints that it’s sooo nice we are Almost Real People Like You.
*
I have met, in an entire lifetime of interacting with Medical professionals, exactly ONE who knew any actual facts about Autism and did not instantly, well-meaningly, try to“compliment” me with patronizing nonsense learned from Autism Speaks billboards.
One.
And I have a series of medical problems meaning I’ve got a kind of networked team of pros that changes every time I move.
Psychiatrists & psychologists sometimes know a little about autism.
Medical professionals generally can be expected to know worse than nothing. (yes I consider misinformation and patronization to be worse. The only plus is that they DO know vaccines cannot cause autism.)
I realize they are not in the mental health field but it might behoove the colleges and courses to take a few weeks of medical schooling to cover some common disabilities and conditions, and how NOT to talk to people who are/have them! *facepalm*
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Chronic Conditions- I don't have to "Overcome" every "Trial"
Whenever the subject of a "trial" or chronic illness or condition comes up, the popular reaction is:
“You need to fight this!”
Uh, no I don’t.
I won’t let it run my life but I’m not going to spend every day fighting.
That’s ridiculous. No one can do that.
There is no point in doing that, except to satisfy some expectation you have of me that I should get rid of this thing because it is uninvited, or because it is disliked by you.
I am going to go on with my life, in the way dictated by my conscience, and It will not go away. It is part of my lot in life. I accept it.
I have things to do, if you don’t mind, and my Life is for Living. I do not have time to “Fight This.” I have to go do things now. My work will not do itself.
“You need to fight this!”
Uh, no I don’t.
I won’t let it run my life but I’m not going to spend every day fighting.
That’s ridiculous. No one can do that.
There is no point in doing that, except to satisfy some expectation you have of me that I should get rid of this thing because it is uninvited, or because it is disliked by you.
I am going to go on with my life, in the way dictated by my conscience, and It will not go away. It is part of my lot in life. I accept it.
I have things to do, if you don’t mind, and my Life is for Living. I do not have time to “Fight This.” I have to go do things now. My work will not do itself.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Microexpressions
I’m autistic. I have a special fascination with body language and facial expressions, and I am not often very good at reading people i am directly interacting with but I can read people I am watching like they are a book, and people have been telling me for ages that the best strength in my art is my handling of expressions. It’s the difference between Observation and Application. I try to use my observational knowledge as applied knowledge, and I have learned something amazing and kind of awful.
One of the most bleakly horrible things
you can possibly learn as a skill
is how to tell a real smile
from a false one.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
In Which I Have Made Myself Sick, Sort Of.
Argh. I have been on bed rest for the whole week. Not. Fun. Rar. I'm just not used to this kind of thing.
I am adjusting a medication of mine, but the darn stuff is so freaking strong that one has to drop the dose in increments, and every time one does this, one ends up knocked for a loop and in bed for a week- One of the reasons I want OFF of this drug is that it is so very strong and messes with my health like this. So not worth it, can't wait to be free of it.
I have a dog to take care of, dishes and groceries needing doing, and a life to live, and very few local friends with time to help out. Grr. Impatient.
Luckily for me, I do have some friends and family who have been very patient with the whole, Wah, I can't do anything Mess. They've been bringing me food, or walking my dog, or just keeping me company online.
I am adjusting a medication of mine, but the darn stuff is so freaking strong that one has to drop the dose in increments, and every time one does this, one ends up knocked for a loop and in bed for a week- One of the reasons I want OFF of this drug is that it is so very strong and messes with my health like this. So not worth it, can't wait to be free of it.
I have a dog to take care of, dishes and groceries needing doing, and a life to live, and very few local friends with time to help out. Grr. Impatient.
Luckily for me, I do have some friends and family who have been very patient with the whole, Wah, I can't do anything Mess. They've been bringing me food, or walking my dog, or just keeping me company online.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
In Which I Angst a Little, Some More.
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl...
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart:
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl....
(Lyrics from musical "Wicked")
Why do I have to fall so hard for wonderful guys who would never imagine I'd be interested, and certainly never dream of being with me? I try to hint, try to speak to him, try to smile at him whenever I see him, try to meet his eyes and let my eyes say something about what I feel, about how I could love him... And then I have to smile when he shows up with a cheerful, beautiful woman on his arm, because he's wonderful, and she's wonderful too, and they are so wonderful together, and how could I have ever thought I would be a fit match for him...
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl...
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart:
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl....
(Lyrics from musical "Wicked")
Why do I have to fall so hard for wonderful guys who would never imagine I'd be interested, and certainly never dream of being with me? I try to hint, try to speak to him, try to smile at him whenever I see him, try to meet his eyes and let my eyes say something about what I feel, about how I could love him... And then I have to smile when he shows up with a cheerful, beautiful woman on his arm, because he's wonderful, and she's wonderful too, and they are so wonderful together, and how could I have ever thought I would be a fit match for him...
Monday, September 5, 2011
In which I Try to Get Life Back in Line: Labor Day.
I feel like I'm always playing catch-up, juggling every day to try to get to birthdays, events, dinners, bills, taxes, vacations, obligations, all around my work hours, and somehow in between find time for the art that keeps me sane. I want family time and friend time, but I also have obligations and money-things like taxes and not-fun stuff like bills and rent and managing worky stuff.
I have a new job of sorts and I am in love with it even though it's demanding- I work at a local Motion Picture Studio now, and they are doing a series of episodes from the New Testament.
I am an Art Dept. Go-to, which is like a go-fer but more productive. It means that my boss decorates the set and he needs stuff for it, and if he doesn't have time to have someone else make the stuff, he comes to me and says, "Can you make me this?" and I say, "Yep, I can do that!", which is my arting motto. So far he has liked my work *squee* which is for me a huge thing because if he likes my stuff I've done, they will likely call me in for other projects too, and I will get to keep working there. Every day is a new challenge, and it's something I've inadvertently trained for since High School- limited time, limited materials, and a need for a certain outcome and historical look, Go! I am an expert at this! Making do and getting results from faked or limited material is what I do best! I am so ridiculously happy to have everything I've been doing with my art and reenactment for these last few years suddenly have work application! I have realized I want to do this the rest of my life.
...Which leaves me in a quandary as to my education. I want a degree, but in what? My nascent career in the Entertainment industry hardly requires a degree- in fact they could care less. They require results, talent, speed, reliability and ability, not a certificate saying I'm really good at writing educated papers. I know a degree is more than that, but if you can't write educated papers to specific formats, you No Can Haz, no matter how frickin brilliant you are. I am wondering if a traditional degree is even possible for me. Between my autistic tendencies in learning and communication and my anxiety and depression that totally screwed me academically, I don't know. I feel this driving idiotic lifelong need to Get A Degree so that society will see me as educated and worth employing, but the only people I want to employ me don't give a flying fart whether I have one or not. Argh.
I have a new job of sorts and I am in love with it even though it's demanding- I work at a local Motion Picture Studio now, and they are doing a series of episodes from the New Testament.
I am an Art Dept. Go-to, which is like a go-fer but more productive. It means that my boss decorates the set and he needs stuff for it, and if he doesn't have time to have someone else make the stuff, he comes to me and says, "Can you make me this?" and I say, "Yep, I can do that!", which is my arting motto. So far he has liked my work *squee* which is for me a huge thing because if he likes my stuff I've done, they will likely call me in for other projects too, and I will get to keep working there. Every day is a new challenge, and it's something I've inadvertently trained for since High School- limited time, limited materials, and a need for a certain outcome and historical look, Go! I am an expert at this! Making do and getting results from faked or limited material is what I do best! I am so ridiculously happy to have everything I've been doing with my art and reenactment for these last few years suddenly have work application! I have realized I want to do this the rest of my life.
...Which leaves me in a quandary as to my education. I want a degree, but in what? My nascent career in the Entertainment industry hardly requires a degree- in fact they could care less. They require results, talent, speed, reliability and ability, not a certificate saying I'm really good at writing educated papers. I know a degree is more than that, but if you can't write educated papers to specific formats, you No Can Haz, no matter how frickin brilliant you are. I am wondering if a traditional degree is even possible for me. Between my autistic tendencies in learning and communication and my anxiety and depression that totally screwed me academically, I don't know. I feel this driving idiotic lifelong need to Get A Degree so that society will see me as educated and worth employing, but the only people I want to employ me don't give a flying fart whether I have one or not. Argh.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
In Which Sour Cream and Senses are Discussed
So today I had sour cream over beans with corn chips for brunch. Sour cream is so tasty. And so fattening. Dairy is so not very good for me. My GOSH it was delicious.
I love food. I love tasting it, I love smelling it, sometimes I even love cooking and baking it. Tasty food especially. Flavorful. Savory. The tastes found in mediterranean cooking tend to be my preferred flavors, but I enjoy anything bold and savory or sugary. I go nuts for ranch dip, black olives, french fries, almost ANYthing made of potatoes, breads white and wheat, Pizza, many kinds of fish, bacon, Meat in general, onions, apples, green grapes, nectarines, sugar in almost any form, and of course anything chocolate.
Unfortunately most flavorful things are also high in sugar, high in fat, or both. I have to make conscious effort to discipline myself into not just eating these particular things. But they're sooooo Goooooooooood....
Given the chance, the purely physical side of my Self will binge or savor-spree on anything that is enjoyable to the senses. With food this can get me into trouble.
I am hypersensitive. To what you ask? To EVERYTHING. Supposedly this is linked to my Asperger's Syndrome. I can dull things down by familiarity or conscious training or effort, but for the most part I have all five senses running on high power. Sometimes I hear noises humans are not supposed to be able to hear, like bird-deterrent sound devices outside of buildings. Crazy huh?
Now extend that kind of sensitivity into the other senses, too: Sight, Touch, Scent and Taste. I can taste the dyes in some foods. I prefer to wear polarized lenses on bright days and my vision is 20/20 or better. I depend on my sense of hearing, touch and smell so much that without them I get very skittish because people or things take me by surprise- I unthinkingly tend to judge the state and positions of people in a room by the sound of the ambient noise off of them and the walls, their breathing and motions, and sometimes their smells.
How cool to have, like, superpowers? Can I do neat tricks like always hear everything people say an' stuff? Nope. It has its Pros, but there are balancing Cons that people like Daredevil don't have unless it serves plot, because they're comic book heroes. Frequently I can't hear a word someone three feet away is saying because I am also hearing everyone else for forty feet around and any carrying sounds from as far as a hundred feet on top of that. I don't go to rock concerts or even most dances because the noise level is physically painful. I don't enjoy very spicy food because it burns us, Precious. Wearing clothing made of too much artificial fiber drives me nuts. I don't like most perfumes. And as I mentioned above, if I get a cold and my hearing and smell sense are gone, I am drastically less aware of my surroundings and it makes me jumpy.
The Pros to being hypersensitive? For one thing, I'm never without entertainment. I've become a habitual eavesdropper mostly because I can't help it, and Americans talk really loud in public. It's also fun for me to play with the kaleidescope I got for Christmas, or similar sensory amusing children's toys. Acoustic music is a fulfilling and multifaceted experience. And food? Oh wow. The right food is positively sensory HEAVEN.
I love food. I love tasting it, I love smelling it, sometimes I even love cooking and baking it. Tasty food especially. Flavorful. Savory. The tastes found in mediterranean cooking tend to be my preferred flavors, but I enjoy anything bold and savory or sugary. I go nuts for ranch dip, black olives, french fries, almost ANYthing made of potatoes, breads white and wheat, Pizza, many kinds of fish, bacon, Meat in general, onions, apples, green grapes, nectarines, sugar in almost any form, and of course anything chocolate.
Unfortunately most flavorful things are also high in sugar, high in fat, or both. I have to make conscious effort to discipline myself into not just eating these particular things. But they're sooooo Goooooooooood....
Given the chance, the purely physical side of my Self will binge or savor-spree on anything that is enjoyable to the senses. With food this can get me into trouble.
I am hypersensitive. To what you ask? To EVERYTHING. Supposedly this is linked to my Asperger's Syndrome. I can dull things down by familiarity or conscious training or effort, but for the most part I have all five senses running on high power. Sometimes I hear noises humans are not supposed to be able to hear, like bird-deterrent sound devices outside of buildings. Crazy huh?
Now extend that kind of sensitivity into the other senses, too: Sight, Touch, Scent and Taste. I can taste the dyes in some foods. I prefer to wear polarized lenses on bright days and my vision is 20/20 or better. I depend on my sense of hearing, touch and smell so much that without them I get very skittish because people or things take me by surprise- I unthinkingly tend to judge the state and positions of people in a room by the sound of the ambient noise off of them and the walls, their breathing and motions, and sometimes their smells.
How cool to have, like, superpowers? Can I do neat tricks like always hear everything people say an' stuff? Nope. It has its Pros, but there are balancing Cons that people like Daredevil don't have unless it serves plot, because they're comic book heroes. Frequently I can't hear a word someone three feet away is saying because I am also hearing everyone else for forty feet around and any carrying sounds from as far as a hundred feet on top of that. I don't go to rock concerts or even most dances because the noise level is physically painful. I don't enjoy very spicy food because it burns us, Precious. Wearing clothing made of too much artificial fiber drives me nuts. I don't like most perfumes. And as I mentioned above, if I get a cold and my hearing and smell sense are gone, I am drastically less aware of my surroundings and it makes me jumpy.
The Pros to being hypersensitive? For one thing, I'm never without entertainment. I've become a habitual eavesdropper mostly because I can't help it, and Americans talk really loud in public. It's also fun for me to play with the kaleidescope I got for Christmas, or similar sensory amusing children's toys. Acoustic music is a fulfilling and multifaceted experience. And food? Oh wow. The right food is positively sensory HEAVEN.
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