Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm only very mildly on the autistic spectrum and have no diagnosis. One thing that is causing me massive problems at the moment is noise at work. They have the radio playing over the work PA system and it is making me very stressed and anxious. I normally have the radio playing at home and like to have that background noise but work is different. I think because it is over a PA system to sound quality is poor, also the music is stuff that stresses me, dance and hip-hop (too percussive, lack of melody?), the DJs all talk in over an excited way and the adverts also use very excitable tones.
I've been told that I can't wear ear-plugs as it is a health and safety issue. So I wondered if there is any method I can use to deal with the stress and anxiety itself.
I am looking for another job but I can't stand this one much longer unless I find a way to cope with the noise, so I may have to leave with no other income if I don't get a solution.
Thanks Nellie,
I'd already looked at the Mind website and couldn't find anything relevant. On the autism website the only thing that seems roughly relevant is the anxiety bit, but it is talking about anxiety where you are worrying that something bad was going to happen and that isn't the problem. The noise isn't causing me worry, it is uncomfortable to me. The best way I can explain it is that it would be rather like expecting someone to work in a room where the lights were flickering randomly. It wouldn't actually be harming them but it would be very uncomfortable and become less tolerable the longer they were there. So tactics to deal with worrying situations don't work because I'm not worried something bad might happen, the something bad is happening, I am being made uncomfortable by the sound stimulus.