Touch

Hi Philip, 

First of all, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I am new to your blog and I don't know if you have talked about this before, but I would like to know how you feel about physical contact with other people (it can be shaking hands, hugging, kissing or even just touching someone else's body in a crowded place). Does it make you feel uncomfortable or do you like it? 

Thank you. 

Love from Italy,

Ila

Philip writes:

I am letting you know about physical touch. My experience may be different than others. Popular assumptions say people with autism don't ever want to be touched. This is not true. I like some forms of touch like my mom's hugs or my dad's tickles. I like being made to feel liked. My favorite gestures of endearment are hugs, fist bumps, a touch on my head or shoulders, and pressure when I sit behind someone and they lean back.

I mean to be more tolerant of touch when people try to help me. A little anxiety about losing control of my body when I need help from others like when getting my hair cut or going to the doctor make me not like certain touches.  Seeing foreign objects coming at me so over stimulates me. I easily panic.  I am adverse to hand over hand assistance. I don't like feeling like a puppet. But I know I need help managing to do things on my own. People mean to teach me this way. I mean to learn to trust my teachers helping me more.

Touch is important. Living without it would be most depressing.

Philip and his sister Ana- July 2013