Hearing every noise

Hi fi_110, this experience probably relates to two things, higher sensitivity to sound and inability to filter out background.

Non autistic spectrum people mostly are able to filter out background, though it is not exclusively an AS problem, and is reported by some people with dyslexia. It makes social situations harder. But to some extent it explains why other people cannot hear the noises if there are able to "tune out".

Heightened perception and sensitivity to sound is an often encountered characteristic of autistic spectrum. You most often read about sudden noise and high pitched noise, so hearing noises less audible to others seems less often discussed. Maybe the scientists don't believe it - one of the many things about autism they don't seem to know about.

But I read somewhere (but cannot find) a story about a primary school child who wrote down the answers to a teacher led test in his own classroom, and the answers to the one going on next door. There are plenty of like examples in the literature.

However anticipation may play a part. If you expect the sound you will search for it, and it will be enhanced by anxiety. You can get a better understanding by sitting comfortably near locations where you most often experience this and just contemplating what faint noises you hear. You can then, to some extent reverse the process, by thus desensitizing yourself to some noises. If you can learn to 'love' these noises, rather than feel threatened by them, you may reduce the incidence.

The option is headphones, with or without music, ear plugs, a radio on in the background, or some source of comfortable white noise you can live with that merges out the other sounds.

In the days of cassette tapes I constantly suffered from hearing the track on the other side whispering past in reverse. It spoiled my listening. To this day I've never quite established whether it was a common fault or just me. I'd send tapes back to the record company, or return them to the shop but no-one else could detect it; I changed tape recorders often. Also I'd hear the squeak of the winder, and I hear sounds from CD players as well.

However I'm reminded of the number of car drivers I've met who are obsessed about every squeak or grumble from their cars out of concern something is not right. So maybe non autistic spectrum people are able to override their filter when anxious about sounds.

I'll bet you'll get lots of other answers to this one.

Hi fi_110, this experience probably relates to two things, higher sensitivity to sound and inability to filter out background.

Non autistic spectrum people mostly are able to filter out background, though it is not exclusively an AS problem, and is reported by some people with dyslexia. It makes social situations harder. But to some extent it explains why other people cannot hear the noises if there are able to "tune out".

Heightened perception and sensitivity to sound is an often encountered characteristic of autistic spectrum. You most often read about sudden noise and high pitched noise, so hearing noises less audible to others seems less often discussed. Maybe the scientists don't believe it - one of the many things about autism they don't seem to know about.

But I read somewhere (but cannot find) a story about a primary school child who wrote down the answers to a teacher led test in his own classroom, and the answers to the one going on next door. There are plenty of like examples in the literature.

However anticipation may play a part. If you expect the sound you will search for it, and it will be enhanced by anxiety. You can get a better understanding by sitting comfortably near locations where you most often experience this and just contemplating what faint noises you hear. You can then, to some extent reverse the process, by thus desensitizing yourself to some noises. If you can learn to 'love' these noises, rather than feel threatened by them, you may reduce the incidence.

The option is headphones, with or without music, ear plugs, a radio on in the background, or some source of comfortable white noise you can live with that merges out the other sounds.

In the days of cassette tapes I constantly suffered from hearing the track on the other side whispering past in reverse. It spoiled my listening. To this day I've never quite established whether it was a common fault or just me. I'd send tapes back to the record company, or return them to the shop but no-one else could detect it; I changed tape recorders often. Also I'd hear the squeak of the winder, and I hear sounds from CD players as well.

However I'm reminded of the number of car drivers I've met who are obsessed about every squeak or grumble from their cars out of concern something is not right. So maybe non autistic spectrum people are able to override their filter when anxious about sounds.

I'll bet you'll get lots of other answers to this one.