Touch

[Jate]

For about a year now, I've had a problem with touch and am beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with me. People are immediately seperated into three groups.
1. This is the biggest group. People who cannot touch me. This includes my family and most of my friends. Just the feeling of being touch is so awful feeling that I'll flinch or shove them or get angry. Sometimes I don't even realize what I'm doing. People (especially my family) often take this the wrong way and get offended or angry. Despite that I obviously cannot control the hate I have for their touch, they just don't understand.
2. People I can tolerate. I don't like these people touching me, but I take it. I know what I'm doing and consciously make the decision to stay or flinch away,
3. People whose touch I crave. There are 4 people in this group. I will go to extreme hights just to get a simple hug from these people. I have an intense craving to lean against them or brush against them or just be near them. Seeing them and then having them leave without a hug or simple touch can ruin my entire day and put me in an awful mood until I see them again. And often, no matter how long a hug can keep going, as soon as it breaks apart...it just seems like it isn't enough; and that too can often put me in a bad mood until I'm able to see them again.

It's like these people are just randomly picked by my mind too. I know immediately whether I'll allow myself to be touched by them or not and no matter what I do, it won't change. It's at a point where it does seriously affect my relationships with others.

[jdtm]

Could be a sensory problem.  Sensory Integration Disorder is often co-morbid with anxiety (as well as depression).  But, there is more going on here that just "sensory".  Please see your doctor.

[Jate]

could it possibly a sensory problem that's going on with being touched?

[jdtm]

Believe it or not, your symptoms remind me of my mother - including the "hearing things and not coping with certain voices".  She has been diagnosed with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder).  One poster mentioned OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).  Both GAD and OCD are anxiety disorders and anxiety disorders are highly treatable.  Depression is often co-morbid with anxiety disorders.  

I am not saying that anxiety is your problem, but it certainly is a possibility.  School counselors (in my opinion and I am a teacher) are not equipped to deal with anxiety disorders.  Please seek help from your family doctor (and if he/she feels you might be dealing with anxiety), ask for a referral to a specialist who can better help you.  It is possible this mental health issue has a physical basis rather than just a "mental" basis and your doctor should be able to help you.  If the problem is anxiety, please be aware that anxiety does not "disappear" but as I said, these disorders are highly treatable.  I wish you the best ...

[Jate]

It's not that I don't have a desire for it to change...I've just kind of lost hope. People don't really bother with things like that in my family. The school attempted to get a counsler to help me. They talked to me for awhile...and then just suddenly disappeared. I tried a few times to ask what was happening with my counsler, but didn't really get any answers.

I've also been experiencing a few others things. I also can't stand some people's voices or certain noises to an intense extent. And then there are other voices or sounds that I will just want to listen to repeat over and over for days...and sometimes do listen to over and over on repeat for days.

They gave me a test that told me I was severely depressed...but the depression is from beginning to be told I'm abnormal for things things. They also mentioned a few things about repressed memories because for awhile I was seeing and hearing things.

[RockRose]

jate,  I think if you don't get help for this (maybe it's founded in OCD?) it will ruin your life.  The people you can't let go of won't tolerate this all that long,  and people in your family also won't tolerate being hit or shoved.  If you get told a lot by people who love and care about you that there's something wrong with you,  probably there is.

The fact that you've only had this for a year kind of rules out autism,  but it rules in a lot of things like OCD or other mental health issues.

Reading your post I don't sense that you feel any desire for this to change,  and so maybe you aren't ready to make the step to get help,  but those who have put up with it for a year probably won't be putting up with it indefinitely.

[Jate]

I've always thought that it was okay.
But now people (such as family and teachers) aren't understanding and getting frustrated with it. I get told a lot that there's 'something wrong with me'. Mainly because I don't like most people to touch me.

[treazzure007]

Assuming you are normal functioning person,  it looks like you've got it all figured out.  You know what makes you comfortable or not.  You may just like your space most of the time and have a few crushes in the midst.