Published on 12, July, 2020
Since I went 'public' about my ASD diagnosis I've had more than one person say to me 'We're all on the spectrum mate'. At the time I found the comment slightly offensive, as if they were saying, 'You're not the only one who's got issues, just get over it', but on reflection, perhaps they have a point. In this crazy world where the borders of 'normality' are infinitely blurred, could it be that we are all on one big spectrum, but only some of us in the 'zone' that is currently classed as a disorder? I can't help wondering if everyone did the tests and questionnaires that I did when being assessed what percentage of the population would be diagnosed. The very first test I did came as quite a shock because the questions seemed so very appropriate to how I was feeling, and it returned a result of high probability. I can't decide if that's just because I do actually have ASD or because some of those questions would apply to anyone doing the test. I'd be interested to hear people's opinion on this, especially if anyone out there has done the test and returned a negative result i.e. low probability.
Former Member has got me thinking. If we were all autistic then the world would be more set up for us. Shops and supermarkets wouldn't play such loud music or have such bright lights, the world would be a more understanding place with a slower pace of life, collectively everyone would be able to communicate more easily, mental health services would be more effective etc... The list goes on.
Your comment raises a question for me. I hate sudden loud noises like dogs barking, owners shouting at them, alarms going off, cars and motorbikes going by that are unsilenced, etc. and yet I am perfectly happy to put a pair of headphones on and listen to Greenday, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, AC/DC et al at a volume I wouldn't be comfortable with normally. Any logical explanation for this?
I like hot egg but can't eat cold egg in any form. I think it's a combination of smell and texture when cold. I've always had a strong sense of smell which has in turn been both a blessing and a curse, depending on what the smell is. The most outstanding one is my ability to smell snow before it arrives. It's very distinct to me and I've made accurate predictions on numerous occasions, much to people's surprise and disbelief.
I'm strange with eggs. I either really enjoy them or hate them and you don't know till you eat it. Its the yolk. There's good egg taste and bad egg taste. This goes for cooking them and when they are in things like cakes. But it's always the smell on pots afterwards that gets me. And I have to be in charge of my own egg yolk.
With you on the cold egg thing. Who can bear to eat something that smells like a fart BEFORE it's been digested?
And smellls, yes. I can smell cold egg on plates that have supposedly been washed. I went for a posh afternoon tea with a friend and the whole time could snell second hand egg on the "clean" plates.
As a child I used to be able to smell the difference between different brands of white bread and margarine. Mostly the smell was horrible. This was put down to me being a bit fussy in that department.
Thank you
I don't think it is possible to train our sensory system to filter sounds. I find the best thing is to stay as calm as possible, by using earplugs or noise cancelling headphones to try to prevent sensory overload. Sometime intense hyper-focus can filter out some noise. However there are some short sharp sounds which will snap me out of hyper-focus in an instant, like an electric shock.
Scientific research has shown that autistic people do not habituate to sounds in the same way that non autistic people do. That's why we can happily listen to the same song on constant repeat. We get the same pleasure listening to something enjoyable for the 100th time as we do the first. In the case of unpleasant or unbearable sounds I find the amount I am able to tolerate decreases with frequent repeated exposure.
The inability to filter sounds leads to everything all at once and resultant overload. Going back to the original topic, the loud music in the store. If it was only the music it might be tolerable. Add in the people talking, children screaming, tills bleeping, the robotic voice from the self service tills, the car alarm going off in the car park and it is all too much at once That's without considering all of the visual information and lights, etc.
The noise from the stopping of high speed trains is thankfully one we don't have here in the UK, as far as I know. Our trains are notoriously slow
Your posts are pleasant, I would also say your posts because I find your writing very valid § One thing puts me in difficulty: because if we trained our sensory deficit, perhaps we would be able to filter them(?) I ask. § Argh! You made the concept very well with your nails on the blackboard and the screeching chalk? But also the stopping of high-speed trains. For me it is very annoying.
I've fallen far behind both reading links, and reading your responses. § I could provide a much better answer than this one I will write. § Back pain is becoming (I hope) less acute. I can sit still. § So the sensorial: that concerns most of the answers (in my opinion). § Many of my friends use noise canceling headphones. or ,ear plugs. § It depends on our heightened sensory response. § But this also extends to other senses. § In Italy in some regions there are high-level festivals in which hundreds of different types of cheeses can be found. § I remember an unpleasant thing. I was with my girlfriend. The stands were really many. I perceived all together the "smells of the cheeses. Everyone. It was like n nightmare. I walked away 200 meters from that place. § She was very angry and scolded me. § But I could not filter the aromas. It was a whole thing. I ran away. § The people I make friends with often have very high IQs. And you have to admit that I was struck by his reaction. § He knew very well how I am. Also because our friendship was born talking about high-functioning autism. § I was really amazed he didn't understand me. § Including the time we ordered a Fiorentina (Carne alla brace) in Florence. But the noise of people who couldn't stop talking to me all the time made standing there intolerable. § I got up and looked for a nearby restaurant, where nobody was there. Because they were Egyptians, and in Tuscany we tend to trust local restaurateurs. Instead we ate them in perfect tranquility and silence. By the way very good, I recommend the Egyptian cuisine. § Many things we can not filter them. Noises and some frequencies. § I don't want to digress but documenting the sounds emitted not by the vocal cords and the studies of Demetrio Stratos (He died of leukemia) In Italy diplophony and beyond were studied. Can't put links I guess but singing voice (Demetrio Stratos) impresses. § Just as I am impressed by Freddie Mercury's frequency which is not in the usual range. § Some things I think but I don't have the time to put them into practice, as well as use the voice. the syllogism Perhaps for us it would indicate a vast utility. The syllogism (from the Greek syllogismòs, word composed of syn, "together" and of logismòs, "reasoning, calculation") is the fundamental model of reasoning
Your posts are very interesting. I like reading centered and proactive answers. And most of what you write could see me agree enough to make likes enough for an answer. § I have a lot of acute back pain after an accident and have trouble sitting up. I mostly write on my PC. § There are indeed many of you who argue very well. § In other foreign forums users simplified, or the level was not high. Here I finally find disambiguations and valid posts. And it's nice (a lot)
I'm the same. As others have already said it's mainly the lack of control and unpredictability. It's an interruption that we do not have the ability to filter out like others can.
It's not always about the loudness of the noise at all. The type of noise plays a part too. For example not all dog barking is the same and some I can tolerate much more than others. Bigger dogs generate an unpleasant barking which I don't like. However that noise does not produce the same intense emotional response as hearing a small yappy dog barking. They only thing I can liken it to is the intolerable noise of fingernails scraping down a blackboard.
Maybe it's partly Misophonia.
I live in a block of flats which are about 10% residential and 90% second homes. This is wonderful because most of the time I have no neighbours and the silence is truly blissful. When they do come to visit, as is the case this evening, and they start making noise that I'm not used to (not necessarily very loud) I find myself getting uptight and wanting to go and remind them that I live here permanently. Two things in play here - I'm not in control and it's unpredictable. Your point well and truly proven I think.
That's reassuring, thank you. I think you're spot on with the 'control' idea. I think virtually all of my negative experiences boil down to not being in control of a situation, or someone else being in control in a way I can't relate to. My driving meltdowns are a prime example.
I am the same as I love gigs but have difficulty with buzzing phones as an example . I wonder if it's how much you are in control of the situation. Also, I seem to understand, one can have mixed sensory profiles, even amongst the same sense (hearing). I can't remember technical terms. So you can be sensory seeking and avoidant depending on the situation.
The obvious ones would be that you're in control of the music and it's predictable.
The experiment would be how you are if it's someone else's loud music and how you react to more... unconventional music (like Boredoms - Super Æ).