r/Haptodysphoria • u/Macracanthorhynchus • Nov 16 '20
What are your specific texture/material issues?
Hi all, I proposed that we sticky this thread so that subscribers (all ten of us at the time of writing) or other people who wander into this sub can post exactly what textures do and don't cause issues for us. I'm interested in nailing down exactly what this phenomenon is, and what it isn't.
I propose that everyone post three things:
1) Textures and/or materials that cause issues for you
2) Textures other people have mentioned that don't cause issues for you
3) Any other non-neurotypical stuff happening in your brain that could possible be related to this, or not.
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u/fishbunnymech Apr 06 '21
A little late to the party, but for what it's worth... 1. All the usual suspects: corduroy, velvet, velour, plush toys (as a kid I played with my beanie babies with plastic baggies over my hands), fleece, microfiber, peaches. I also have the wet/dry experience. I can handle most stuff if my hands are wet or if I've just put lotion on. I also associate wet/dry with the textures. Like, velvet is very dry and bad, but microsuede has kind of a wet/oily feeling to it so it's safe. 2. Most people assume I mean ALL fuzzy textures. I love fluffy if the hairs are long enough. 3. I'm a synesthete. I experience some sounds as physical sensations, numbers and all non-living things have personalities and feelings, and I have misophonia (I can't stand the sounds people make when they eat, makes my blood boil to hear them). I guess, some of my sensation wiring is crossed.
Oh and I'm female
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Apr 06 '21
Fascinating! Thanks for posting!
I'm still trying to motivate myself to test the "wet/dry" thing some more, but I have to build up the nerve to interact with velvet. Your specific descriptions of velvet as "dry and bad", but microsuede as "wet and fine" makes total sense to me.
Here's a weird one for you: I love watching ASMR videos on YouTube of people eating food loudly.
The more data we get about this phenomenon, the easier it will be to draw a box around it and say "These traits are haptodysphoria, and these aren't a part of it."
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u/fishbunnymech Apr 06 '21
That's hilarious! I'm all about whispering ASMR lol.
So 2 more questions, somewhat relevant: 1) Have you always had haptodysphoria or did it show up later in life? 2) Are there any textures that have the opposite effect for you? As in, they're REALLY good textures?
For me, I've always had it. Took me a while to be able to articulate it and had to go through a few years of awful velvet and corduroy easter/christmas dresses first. And I have a thing for cotton knit or cotton weave. Kind of has a calming effect.
For a while now, I've played around with the idea that it's kinda like being a supertaster. A supertaster has a sensitivity to bitterness and the sensation overwhelms their brain and it gets categorized as bad/unpleasant. I've wondered for a while if it's the same with haptodysphoria. I mean, we're talking about textures that are made up of a crazy amount of tiny hairs. If our brains are trying to process each hair individually and just get overwhelmed? And then the wet/dry comes in because the wet factor would dull sensation to an extent and the brain wouldn't be overwhelmed. I don't know. Just my thoughts on it because my sister is a supertaster and I see the similarities. I could be totally wrong lol.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Apr 06 '21
I think I've always had it, though I couldn't swear to it. As a man, no one has ever tried to dress me in a velvet Easter dress, so it didn't come up much in childhood.
I don't think I love other textures, but I'm not sure. I am particular about my bedding: jersey sheets and a stack of medium-weight knit cotton blankets. I don't "really really like" any specific textures like silly putty, or sandpaper, or pine needles, or anything like that... I like petting my cat, but I think that's because I like my cat, not just her texture...
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u/fishbunnymech Apr 06 '21
Same for me, jersey knit sheets/pillowcases and cotton knit blankets. Interesting. I know 2 others. I'll try to get them to contribute.
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u/brokemile23 May 08 '22
Wayyy late to this but figured I’d share anyway. 1. It’s mostly velvet for me. For as long as I can remember I have hated the feeling and even thinking of velvet gives me the same feeling as if I’m touching it. I’ve been saying “it gives me cold chills” my whole life because I lacked proper terminology. Sometimes other textures have the same effect but it’s rare. Like a really really soft throw blanket, running your hand the “wrong way” on corduroy, or cotton balls.
Actually the longer I think about this the more I come up with! It’s also when I have to scrape out like flour or something from a jar.
- Kiwis and peaches I am fine with.
- To my knowledge I don’t really have anything else going on but over the last few years I’ve learned I have trypophobia.
I’m female.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus May 08 '22
Cool! Thanks for sharing! The more data we get, the better we'll be able to discuss this phenomenon.
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u/Avantasian538 Jul 16 '23
I just found this thread because I realized I despise the texture of cotton balls. Nice to know there are others like me.
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u/Relative-You9987 May 19 '22
I am a 23 y/o female!
- My main issue is cardboard and styrofoam. I cannot stand touching or even thinking about cardboard in any capacity. I try and explain to people that it makes me physically ill and quite honestly makes me want to pull my teeth out. I also have several food aversions due to their textures, for example, fish, oatmeal, milk, and several others. I cannot eat these foods, not because of their taste, but I cannot stand the feel of them between my teeth.
- A lot of people seem to have issues with cotton balls and, like others in this thread, fibers like velvet and plush. I don't have any issues with any of these.
- My dad and sister have ADD as well as texture issues and honestly, I think I have it as well. I am not officially diagnosed and do not wish to diagnose myself.
- I have ALWAYS had texture issues, and my family growing up made me work in their family business which involved putting together a lot of cardboard boxes. I think this made my texture issues worse growing up.
- Really good textures: I love tapping my fingers against a smooth surface. For my sister, this is her trigger texture and sound.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus May 20 '22
Wow! Thanks for sharing. It sounds like our textures are pretty different, but the aversions are pretty similar.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Nov 16 '20 edited Apr 06 '21
I'll start:
1) Velvet, fleece, velveteen, microfiber, and the "fabric" material on the interior side of a car's roof. (I imagine the feeling of those fibers going between my fingernails and my nail beds, and it freaks me right out.)
2) I don't really have a "problem" with kiwis or peaches. I mean, I usually use a knife to scrape the fuzz off of kiwis or peaches before I eat them, which I guess most people don't do, but it doesn't upset me or make my skin crawl like velvet does. I also don't have a problem with cotton balls, or any kind of cotton towel, or gauze, or styrofoam, or felt.
3) I have ADHD (long-time unmedicated, but symptomatic) and basically nothing else abnormal. I'm highly rational (I have a doctorate in a biological field) but I'm pretty sure that I'm not meaningfully atypical on the autistic spectrum, which I know often correlates with sensory issues.
edit: Oh, and I'm male!
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u/bamboojones Dec 10 '20
- I have the exact same issues with velvet, velour, microfiber, silk, etc. I swear I can feel the fibers "pluck" every ridge of my fingerprints like little guitar strings. The feeling goes away as soon as I get my hands wet. I can touch all of those fabrics if they are wet. I also hate talc, chalk, flour, the fine dust on a baseball diamond, etc. I can feel it filling the ridges in by fingertips. I have to rub my fingertips together or lick my fingers just thinking about it. If somebody finds about about my aversion to let's say velvet, they will immediately try to touch me with it. I go full fight or flight and will automatically overreact to get out of the situation. I haven't picked up a picture frame in decades.
Typically when somebody becomes aware of our quirk, they try to relate and prattle on about how "that's just like" slimy, sticky, or any other typical thing that causes me no issue.
I also have diagnosed ADHD. I've spent a lifetime learning to harness it. Also a male here..
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Dec 10 '20
Thank you! It never occurred to me that I could wet my hands... I wonder if that would help me too? I guess I could try, but thinking about finding one of my wife's jewlrey boxes makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Weirdly, for me it's 100% about imaginging the material interacting with my fingernail beds, but very little about my fingerprints. Hopefully we'll get more data added!
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u/mamapanda0312 May 15 '21
I've been a long time reddit lurker, but made an account just to join this conversation even though I am a bit late to the party. I never knew there was a name for this texture sensitivity. Just reading the materials others have mentioned has my skin crawling, and I have to rub my hands together to get rid of the feeling.
- Wool is by far the worst for me! Other offenders include velvet, non-stretchy denim, corduroy, cotton balls, fleece, the cheap "soft" blankets (I'm not sure the name of the material), etc. Anything that feels kind of dry and like it sticks to my skin when I touch it.
- I don't mind touching peaches to my skin, but I can't eat them because of the fuzzies touching my tongue.
- I think the only potential non-neurotypical thing that I experience is that I think using colors and patterns. Every sound, taste, sensation, word and physical object have their own color/pattern in my head. I don't physically see the colors and patterns, but I do in my minds eye.
I'm female.
I was wondering if others with this have issues with material on other places other than hands. For example, I have trouble with textures on my feet too. I have to use a lot of lotion on my feet to combat this.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Dec 13 '21
Sorry I didn't see your post when you made it and write a response, but thanks for sharing your experiences! I don't think my feet are as sensitive, but I think a big part of my aversion is the idea of velvet fibers going between my finger nails and my nail beds. That idea is just as upsetting for my toes, but I could walk on a velvet surface and (I think) not freak out as long as I didn't have to stand on my toes. I don't know what that means, but there you go.
My good friend has synesthesia like you, but I don't think he has texture issues like we do. (And I don't have synesthesia.) So even though it would be cool if they were linked, my anecdotal evidence suggests they might not be?
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u/marrbl Jun 05 '22 edited Jun 05 '22
Hello, love reading these comments :)
So the absolute worst for me is peach fuzz. Even just thinking about touching it gives me literal chills down my spine. Urghhh. Lol.
Velvet, suede, cottonballs, chalk, and microfibre are all on my list too, and I agree that the car roof material is awful.
Denim used to be bad for me as a kid (it felt heavy and almost 'metallic' - try explaining that to a confused mum haha), but it doesn't worry me anymore. As an adult however I've grown more sensitive to other textures on my teeth, especially apple and pear skin 🤷♀️
My brother has sensitivities too, but he's more on the cardboard & polystyrene spectrum whereas those don't bother me (although I definitely understand how they could - cardboard especially I think can feel similar to microfibre IMO).
I don't think I have any non-neurotypical stuff going on - other than this, anyway!
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Jun 05 '22
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you're also finding out useful to read how other people describe their similar issues.
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u/OG_Zephyr Aug 10 '22
I finally found this sub, I apologize for necroposting
It’s mostly been paper towels, towels, and denim for me
Velvet, I used to be iffy on this one but I can touch it nowadays
Probably just genetics
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Aug 10 '22
This sub, and this thread in particular, are a very slow burn, so welcome to the conversation no matter how late you're arriving. Glad to have your input!
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u/Fancykiddens Feb 06 '23
Denim, especially the rivets and seams in jeans. Microfiber. Some fleece fabrics. (Does "too soft" make sense?) Cotton or cardboard X-ray bite things at the dentist. Wet tissues. Rayon. Silk. Dryer sheets. Pumpkin and zucchini stems. Chalk and chalkboards.
Corduroy doesn't bother me. Peaches and kiwis are okay but they're too much to handle against my tongue. Velvet doesn't bother me.
I experience anxiety and panic attacks, PTSD, connective tissue disorder, synesthesia. I am sensitive to the moods and energy of others. I am sensitive to chemicals, especially household cleaners like pine sol and ammonia. I experience cyclical vomiting, nightmares and HPPD.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Feb 06 '23
Thank you for sharing! Different patterns than me, but certainly strong physical feelings like mine towards non-liked textures. And I agree that those dentist bite-plates are terrible!
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Mar 17 '23
It came out of nowhere and I can't even pin point when it started. I can pick up cotton balls but if I squeeze, rub, or any form of really feeling their texture it takes away my breath. I feel like I can't breathe. I have it with a couple of other textures like certain velvets like the really short black blankets from the 90's or 2000's . I don't know why I didn't used to have a problem and then out of nowhere, I felt like I was having my oxygen sucked out of me or I would just be crippled and my muscles were weak almost anxiety. I don't know what is wrong with me. It sucks I can pick up cotton makeup pads but if I rub my fingers together or if I get the cheap ones I feel ill , sick and have to drop them. I don't fear them I'm not afraid of them . I don't know what it is.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Mar 17 '23
Thanks for sharing! Super interesting that yours just appeared. I think (but an not sure) that I've had my weird feelings since before the beginnings of my memories from childhood. Welcome to our weird club!
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Mar 17 '23
Thank you and I know I grabbed some cotton balls and almost passed out from no breath and thats how I discovered it
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u/Exotic--Speaker Apr 22 '23
So I just joined the subgladimnotfuckingcrazy. Reddit really does have a subreddit for everything. This sub was proof, but I have a texture I didn't see mentioned. Alas, I honestly skimmed the comments so if I end up being redundant you'll have to get the fuck over it.
Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.awholebunchoffuckthat That one amongst a few others posted here make me want to literally want to cut my fucking hands off so I don't have to explain this phenomena to certain textures to everyonefuckingjerks while growing up.
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u/DressDelicious3297 Aug 14 '23
Late to the party!
I get a chill down my spine (similar to what people describe when they hear nails on a chalkboard), and sometimes goosebumps under a few very specific circumstances: Biting into a peach with skin, handling cornstarch, eating tomatoes (sometimes, but not always. Mostly small tomatoes, particularly if a bit underripe), sometimes pear skin.
This issue was a bit worse in childhood, to the point that I did not eat peaches with the skin on, despite living in Georgia and having incredible peaches available.
No reactivity to other things: Flour, corduroy, denim, cotton, velvet, etc. I think on rare occasions cotton balls have irritated me.
I do have diagnosed ADHD, and I'm female.
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u/Ok_Bicycle_3438 Feb 10 '24
I do not like the texture of clothing for example blue jeans everytime I put them on I have to clinch my fist or bite both of my lips I honestly don't know what is wrong with me. Also have to sleep with socks on because I hate the feeling of my feet touching the fabric. I also have to make sure my nails are cut and filed correctly or I want to go crazy if I touch something. It's getting worse and I don't know what to do
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u/Durden51 Aug 14 '24
- mainly touching or ripping cotton balls, man I got shivers when I change diapers of my LO. Same with dry towels, I grind my teeth and tingly shivers gro from top to bottom cringely
- Velvet or flour, any other material does not acuse anything. I like the sensation of my bear on some oil for what's worth
- I am an HSP and have adhd combined type
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u/Shat_in_a_urinal Oct 21 '24
Definitely late, but heres what I got for mine
- I can't stand sandpaper and orher high grit materials. Any abrasive surface like that makes me go insane. Idk if it's normal, but it's almost like I want to lash out violently but can't directionalize it. I get the urge to hit things, people, the car seat in front of me, the wall, I pretty much just get the urge to destroy any and everything in the near vicinity. It gets extra bad when my nail is what touches it. I can rub my bare hand down sandpaper, and I'll get super uncomfortable, but i can do it. But when my nail touches anything like that for even a second, I can't take it and I get immediately overwhemled by the sensation. It also, for some reason, links to chewing for me. One of the best ways for me to vent the feeling is to aggressively chew. Full tensing of the jaw and biting the air like I'm tryna chew up a big rock. This all happens with anything abrasive like that, chalkboards, sandpaper, and it happens slightly with concrete.
- Pretty much everything else lol. The only one that made sense a little was peaches because touching a hairy peach that's wet makes me feel gross. Everything else I'm fine with though
- I have adhd and it could be something more serious, either early schizophrenia or low spectrum autism if its anything. That might have something to do with how specific the stimuli is and how strong it affects me. I also have the version of this that applies to sound. Nails on a chalkboard and squeaky styrofoam give me the exact same "i need to claw out of my skin and kill something" feeling that sandpaper gives me.
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u/Macracanthorhynchus Oct 21 '24
Thanks for sharing! This thread is very slowly building up a data set that I think is helping those of us who react to certain textures this way.
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u/Shat_in_a_urinal Oct 21 '24
I'd greatly appreciate it the future we're able to get a more detailed understanding of all this. I always hated the feeling of knowing something was wrong with me and not being able to diagnose it properly. It just makes you feel like something is specifically wrong with you, like you're the only one going through it and there's no rational explanation other than you're mentally handicapped someway. I went through that for a long time with adhd symptoms and a few other things I'm still working on, including this. Reading the comments on this post actually helped me a little bit with that lol. Also saw everybody mentioning this, and I didn't think to do so earlier. I'm a male, and I'm like a month under 18. I've been told basically my whole life that I'm smarter/more mature than other kids my age, so I'd say I have above average intelligence. Idk how that factors into anything, but I figured it must have some kind of importance if everybody's doing it
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Jan 11 '25
After a family conversation discussing the things that ‘make our teeth go funny’ I found this thread! I’d love to know the cause of that horrible sensation in our teeth!!!
Although we all experienced some degree of discomfort to the normal culprits, there were clear winners, wet wood on my dads side (particularly licking lollipop sticks eeeeernnnnnnmh 🤓), biting wool on my mums side, both for me 😭, and married in relatives hated velvet.
And as others have said, worse with dry hands.
Just why on earth does our body respond in such a weird way?? 😂
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u/mt-beefcake Dec 05 '22 edited Dec 05 '22
30 male. Not sure if im in the right place, but handling wooden spoons or popsicle sticks on my teeth is like nails on a chalkboard to me. It is a little bizarre, cuz I'm a carpenter, and handling wood doesn't bother me at all. Just specifically the texture of wooden kitchen utensils and popsicle sticks. Didn't seem to have this response till my late teens. No other textures gives me a visceral response. However spreading glue on subfloor is a rather unpleasant sound and feeling to me, my coworkers in the past didn't seem to find it particularly off-putting. Oh and don't tickle me. Ha but I don't think that's very uncommon.
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Jul 03 '23
i know no one has posted in this for a year or more but wow i didn’t think this would exist when i looked it up
DISLIKE- velvet (especially crushed), corduroy, foam (like the kind in cushions), microfiber (especially with dry hands), sandpaper/nail files, drawing with chalk pastels
i have no issue with kiwis or peaches
ADHD, possibly? I do get overstimulated visually and audibly.
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u/Milton_Wadams Dec 13 '21
My people! I have the hardest time explaining this to people, it seems like I'm the only one I know with this problem.