For me, there are periods when touch hurts because of an unusual condition allodynia. I know how the slightest touch of rain and shower drops can turn into pins and needles. I know what it feels like not to be hugged for months because being physically intimate could make my symptoms worse. I currently have an open diagnosis. Allodynia could be the symptom of many health conditions.

A shorter version of this blog was published by Multiple Sclerosis UK in 2020.