Grateful Adolescent

I'm a 14 year-old who has always been sensitive to certain sounds, tastes, and smells. Just hearing someone crack their knuckles or hearing the sound of dishes clattering can quickly send me into a frenzied panic. My friend eats a lot of exotic food with strong smells, and sometimes just being around her while she's eating can make me squeamish and uncomfortable. I've always been an extremely kinesthetic person - when I'm sitting alone, I have to have something to play with using my hands or else I'll be unable to focus.

When my mom goes to the jewelry store to buy beads to make jewelry with, I always have to stick my hands in the boxes full of beads and move them around. In addition to these experiences, I'm also a very picky eater, to the point where I can't eat food with even the slightest hint of spiciness without it setting my mouth ablaze. This article has been very helpful in helping me figure out the potential source of these issues, and I'm very grateful that I'm not the only one who experiences this.