Adult Asperger’s Video 9. Living in a Bubble – Living with Asperger’s Sensitivity to Smell and Light
Living with Asperger’s Sensitivity to Smell and Light
Smell is a big challenge for one third of people on the spectrum. When we smell, the information goes right to the limbic area of the brain. The limbic system controls memories and emotions. Certain smells are hot wired to automatically trigger stress, fight or flight responses to warn against disease and other threats. Now imagine if the sensitivity level was turned to “high”. This is why it is so powerful and overbearing for those on the spectrum. In fact it can be so overbearing that it results in actual physical illness such as nausea, gagging and vomiting. Of course you can turn this sensitivity to your advantage. For example by spraying perfume that relaxes and comforts onto an item of clothing like a scarf, that can be used them in certain challenging situations. We can be preoccupied with a smell that others can’t detect. This can also relate to eating, with relation to the environment and surroundings but also to the smell of the food itself.
Under-sensitivity to smell
As well as over-sensitivity, the converse can also be true. Some people have no sense of smell at all or a limited sense and this can cause problems like failing to notice extreme smells (sometimes including their own body odour).
Perception
Bright lights, certain types of fluorescent lights and even bright sunlight through a window can often cause distress, headaches and discomfort for those with ASD. This can cause behavioural changes as well as a variety of physical issues.
Tips and Advice
1) Controlling your environment As best as you can, take of control of your home environment and create a safe space for recuperation and relaxation. Identify issues and solve them. If they cannot be resolved then move out. You will probably quite easily be able to identify a problem because it will be obvious. However, if it isn’t so obvious, then use your emotions as an indicator. Just sit and absorb and see how you feel. Eventually, you will identify what it is that is making you feel uncomfortable. The key is to identify and resolve – take responsibility for your own environment! You must control the things which ARE in your control.
2) Don’t be afraid to change lights and experiment Ask to have lights changed if need be. Communicate with your landlord/boss and attempt to resolve problems – any light issues within your own control should be identified and dealt with. This might involve changing a light bulb. If this is not possible, then you can purchase lamps that are more suited to you and use these instead of turning on certain lights.
3) Smell Again, identifying the problem is the first thing to do and then the second is to work out how to solve it. This might need communication or, for example, if you are in a restaurant near the toilets, moving away. Ultimately, it might be moving away from the source of the smell permanently if you can’t address it or remove it.
4) Learning to accept Accept that you can’t control everything in life and that external situations and habitats will never completely be as you would like and rationalise it with the fact that you can probably put up with more than you think. Tolerate some things outside your control but reward yourself later if done so with a humorous spirit. Communicate and talk with your friends and allies and make sure you recuperate and recharge.
5) Sunglasses Embrace sunglasses! These are great to not only block sunlight and other types of light but also to hide behind. I once went to an airport and was sitting with friends in the restaurant and the staff member asked me why I wearing sunglasses – I was very close to making him feel very uncomfortable by saying something silly like, “I’m legally blind”, but chose not to. However, wear what you like which helps and if this means wearing sunglasses at night – do so! If people ask questions, tell them the truth! Tell them you have a “medical issue” or don’t reply at all. You don’t have to acknowledge rude questions or engage in any type of communication you don’t wish to.