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ADD and Hypersensitivity:
Is There A Connection?

Follow Up Report by Mary Jane Johnson

It has been several months now since I reported on ADD and hypersensivity. Since that time I have heard from several ADD adults who suffer some of the same symptoms. One person sent me an article entitled "Social and Emotional Issues of Adults with Sensory Defensiveness" from the Sensory Integration Newsletter published by The American Occupational Therapy Assoc.

Many of these same hypersensitivities are mentioned in this article and I will quote from the article as well as what was shared by the readers who wrote to me. Sensory Integration Newsletter states, "Adults with tactile defensiveness commonly report strong clothing preferences and avoidances, and aversions to clothes with tags, jewelry....may also feel uncomfortable with wool or synthetic materials against the skin....and may be bothered by these aversions to an extreme degree....

"Along those same lines K. wrote in that, "I have to keep my shoes tied tight on my feet... If they are not tight I get frustrated... I find that I constantly re-tie my shoes as tight as possible, during the day." And D. relates, "I agree completely about the elastic... I also do not like sleeves, high collars, knee socks that fall down, tags on the inside of shirts, anything touching my skin that isn't soft or cottony, slacks too tight in the crotch... I hate panty hose... I don't wear my coat in the car, I have a nice thin vest with lots of pockets that I wear while shopping.

"In regards to sensitivity to food textures M. shares, "My dad as a child couldn't stand different foods to touch, so my grandmother bought him a compartmentalized plate... I had to do the same for my son... He stopped picking up wet finger foods or food that made his hands sticky... He wanted a different spoon or fork for each food... He wanted only bland soft foods and to this day there are very few foods he likes... My taste is more sensitive than the others in my family."D. says, "I am also a picky eater, but I love spicy food. I can't stand browned scrambled eggs and my fried eggs must be perfect."

When it comes to heat and cold sensitivity, M. writes, "If it gets around 70 degrees I'm cold... That's why we live in the desert... my hands and feet seem to always have had poor circulation... My hands get cold inside good leather gloves." K. states, "...especially cold... I need to dress and keep the house warm as soon as cool weather moves in... If I didn't love New England so much I would probably live in a warm climate year round.

"The remarks about hearing sensitivity includes: M., "clock in the living room because he could hear it ticking all the way in his room... My son can sleep through noises but certain frequencies hurt or upset him... I travel with a Sears 'sleepmate' white noise machine. I can't sleep without masking the noise. I annoy the heck out of my husband by my ability to hear the TV at the other end of the house... I can't have a ticking clock in the room where I sleep... My dad also has a noise machine.

" K., "...when trying to focus on things I can't filter out noises... While typing this letter I can hear water dripping in the next room, the refrigerator turning on and off, and a car engine idling outside." And D., "I enjoy loud music, but only when I feel like it. I think that's why people think we are selfish at times."

Sensory Integration Newsletter reports, "Social events... puts the person with defensiveness in an uncomfortable situation... Almost all subjects described the discomfort experienced when someone's touch takes them by surprise... Many subjects describe shaking hands as unpleasant... When the touch or hug from comes from behind, it's effect is multiplied because of the element of surprise... and many need to exert self-control to avoid striking out at the person who touched them.

"M. shares, "I don't like being touched... even shaking hands is difficult... It's taken my husband years to learn how to touch me without provoking a negative response... Touching my head or hair is a no no!" A twist on this particular hypersensitivity comes from D. who says, "I am happy to say the hypersensitivity to touch, in the romantic sense, is more often a plus than a minus." And K. adds, "I don't mind shaking someone's hand, but forget hugging... Whenever someone hugs me, I tense up and my stomach gets tied up in knots... Being married my wife loves to be touched... I get all tied up when she hugs me or wants to be hugged or held... It tears me apart because I love my wife and yet for some reason want my space

"........"Most subjects described feeling uncomfortable in crowded places such as crowded elevators, buses, or subways, restaurants, stores, malls... Shopping is difficult for them", states Sensory Integration Newsletter. K. agrees by saying, "I have difficulty going into elevators, and detest having to go to malls, food stores, sporting events, etc... I get very overstimulated, overwhelmed and irritable until I'm free from crowded areas." D. states, "I notice that claustrophobia is more evident when I am somewhere I don't like to be, such as in a car on a trip of more than an hour." In some individuals there seems to be a connection between having ADD and being hypersensitive, as these cases indicate.

I would be interested in hearing from others of you out there who experience some of the same symptoms. I want to thank M., K., and D. for writing and sharing their personal experiences with us. I welcome your comments! If you would like to learn more about the ADDult Support Network, please send a self-addressed stamped business size envelope to 2620 Ivy Place, Toledo, Ohio 43613.

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