A shirt tag can be a minor annoyance to one person and a constant, impossible-to-ignore source of discomfort to another. The same can be true of sock seams, stiff waistbands,
A supermarket asks a shopper to do far more than choose food. Fluorescent or LED lighting fills a large room with few visual breaks. Refrigeration units hum continuously. Carts rattle,
“We should probably think about wrapping this up soon.” Does that mean the meeting is ending now, in five minutes, or whenever everyone feels finished? Is it a suggestion, an
You suddenly realize you have a headache and have not had anything to drink for six hours. Hunger seems to appear only when you are already shaky or irritable. You
A person sits through a painfully loud meeting without covering their ears. A student keeps wearing an uncomfortable uniform without complaining. Someone maintains eye contact, stays seated, smiles politely, and
You can usually close your eyes and still know where your arm is. You can climb stairs without continuously watching your feet, adjust how hard you grip a cup, and
Someone becomes unusually quiet after an overwhelming event. Speech becomes difficult, movement slows, and answering even a simple question takes considerable effort. Several hours later—or perhaps after sleeping—the person begins
A child complains of feeling sick every school morning. A teenager reaches the school entrance but cannot go inside. Another student attends for several days, becomes increasingly exhausted, and then
Someone turns the music up loud, constantly moves while working, prefers intense flavors, touches every interesting texture in a store, or seeks strong pressure and fast movement. The same person
Turn on the water. Adjust the temperature. Undress. Step under the spray. Wash hair. Rinse it. Apply conditioner. Wash the body. Rinse again. Turn off the water. Dry off. Deal