Trying to cope as an adult with Tactile Defensiveness

by Hillary
(Blackshear, GA)

I am a 29 year old female with Tactile Defensiveness. As a kid it wasn't that much of a deal to me to have the issues I have with touch, textures, and such. I never received any therapy, I was just told to grow up or not to react to things or avoid whatever bothered me. (Which was hard to do.) But as an adult it is hard to sometimes function. My friends don't understand, and my family tells me I need to get over this.

Are there any other adults out there struggling, or is my family right and I need to get over it? But how? It seems harder for me now than when I was younger. I literally get in the fetal position if I am touched when I am sitting or laying down. I can not handle being in crowds and getting touched, feeling sand, grass, carpets, or anything besides socks on my bare feet, among a multitude of other tactile issues. I cannot even comfortably talk or hear talk of being touched, or messing with certain textures. It makes me cringe.

Seriously, can it get worse, because that is how I feel? It is so hard sometimes and people do not understand. Any help or info would be appreciated...