Adult oversensitive to people.

by Chris
(FL)

I began seeing a therapist for issues in my marriage and a husband with a possible personality disorder. I was expressing to her my anxiety about getting a job. Ever since I can remember I have had a difficult focusing and functioning when people are near me. I thought it was low self esteem. She told me she thinks it is SPD.

My brain seems to shut down and I can now longer think straight. This happens at home, the store , anywhere. I can be doing something I am totally confident and skilled at but as soon as someone comes in close range of me I start to panic and start to zone out. I began to realize some other things that affect me as well. I am very sensitive to someone touching me. Even by accident. If I am sitting near someone and their foot or leg touches mine, it's all I can focus on. I don't feel grossed out or anything. I just become fully aware of it and can't think of anything else. I am ok if I am the one initiating the touching, otherwise I panic inside.

I especially hate having my face touched. My husband has a hard time respecting this and then acts like I am being cold or insensitive when I shrug away. After 26 years you would think he'd get it. My therapist says one way to control the part about not functioning when people are around me is to use visualization techniques. To visualize taking control of the person. She said she had a patient that would imagine grabbing the person by the ankles and putting them in the trash can!

I can not seem to do a visualization. It's very strange to me. Any ideas? We will be working on breathing exercises next time. And does anyone have this sort of problem with people. I have read a lot about SPD but haven't seen this example of a symptom. I am thinking maybe it is something else.