Clubs:
I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome around the time I was 13 or 14.
I don't flap my hands, but I do rock sometimes, when I'm in so much pain that I need to do something to distract myself from it. Aches from doing physical work can last for days, and menstrual cramps can put me in a fetal position on the floor if I don't have painkillers to counter them. All of this is because of my high sensitivity. Sometimes it takes me hours to get comfortable enough in my bed just so I can sleep; I need to have several heavy blankets on top of me, not for warmth, but for the weight.
And the constant noise. I can hear most of everything going on around me, and I can't tune anything out. If I need to work, I go somewhere alone. I'm actually most comfortable when I'm by myself, but I'm not anti-social; there are times when I will want to be around people. However, I don't appreciate being called a "hermit" when I want to be alone.
The unpredictable, sometimes chaotic movement and volume of little kids in public places tends to bother me. I like to do the grocery shopping, but if I need to get to another aisle and there is at least one person standing there with their cart, I will pass up that aisle for the next one, unless there's something in that aisle that's on my list. Shopping during the holidays is the most taxing, because the stores are crowded, and a lot of people bring their kids along. Now you know why I prefer to handcraft my gifts.
I do occasionally have meltdowns from sensory overload, but it's rare if anyone ever understands what's going on when that happens, or cares enough to ask.
I think everyone watching me already knows where my interests lie, and that I can sit and write a whole book on them if I wanted to.
There are some textures that I absolutely do not like. The main reason is because they cause me physical discomfort. I hate wearing form-fitting clothes because I hate the feeling of fabric constantly touching and rubbing against my skin; I tend to wear baggy clothes, even though they don't look flattering. I kind of gave up fashion a long time ago when fashion proved painful. I also prefer to either go barefoot or in sandals, though in the winter I have some suede boots that provide enough space for my feet, and are actually comfortable, though they could do with a bit more traction. I tried heels once and almost immediately scratched them off my list. I don't know how people can wear them. My sense of balance isn't nearly good enough to be able to walk in heels, much less high heels.
There are also some foods that I cannot stand because they either cause a gag reflex, they give me indigestion, or I hate the way they feel inside my mouth. Okra, squash, peaches, pears, tomatoes, crab, soy milk, and onions all fall into this category. This actually makes up a minority of the food that's put before me, but for some reason I'm made to feel like I don't know what's good for me, or that I don't have "grown-up tastes", because I try to avoid eating them. I remember having remarks like that thrown at me while I was eating a salad, because I didn't want olives on it, or something like that. I don't appreciate being criticized for not liking certain foods, especially considering how most everyone on this planet has foods that they dislike, and because I'm willing to try anything once before I pass judgement on it. Just don't give me a lot to start with, because I really, really don't like having to waste food.
Most of all, I hate being made to feel stupid, broken, or incompetent because I can't tune things out, because I experience sensory overload, or because I suffer physical discomfort from certain stimuli. When I'm in the right conditions, I amaze everybody with what I can do. And I can be "normal" if "normal" people can learn to understand me and accept me like I've done for myself, and not treat me as someone with a mental illness who desperately needs a "cure".
