Is it possible to build up noise tolerance?

[Libecht]

Among all other sensory stimuli, noise and vibration bother me the most. I live in a dormitory and many residents don't bother to close their doors gently. I feel like my head's going to explode every time I hear the sudden noise they make. My roommates think the noise is perfectly normal, so I don't want to be the jerk asking people to meet my own standard.
Is it possible to become more tolerant to noises? How do I train myself?

 

[pax]

Well not in my experience. But that's just me.

 

[Suzanne]

If yes, then I am eager to know how.

Sudden means no time to "train" the senses to relax.

I am now open about being an aspie and people are accepting that, although they sadly do joke deliberately to get a laugh from me being literal, which makes me want to scream and then, go on a rant about what I am obsessed with that day lol turn thy tables (not literally).

If you start to feel ok about being an aspie, you then can say to them that when they are drunk and suffering a major hang over, does it not feel like a drill in your head? Well, each time, some bangs the door, that is how my senses react.

But, of course, you would need a loud speaker, so everyone can hear.

The other suggestion is wearing noise reducers.

Last night, a blasted fighter plane went passed and then, a horrible dull humming. It was driving me crazy, but hubby, although yes, could hear it, just did not care. I was very fidgety and kept muttering that I am so tired, please stop. Tiredness must have won the night though.

My husband is incredulous that I couldn't cope with the humming, but have my music very loud.

 

[FreeDiver]

Unfortunately! There isn't any real way to get used to dynamically changing noise. All you can really do is ether use a white noise generator to try to mask it out, or use ear plugs of some kind to block it with. But ear plugs will only lower the volume. it won't block it 100%.

 

[wight]

By my experience, it is not possible to lessen your sensory sensitivity. It IS possible to gain a "tolerance", of a sort, in that you can lessen your reaction.

Essentially, it works like this: exposure to the stimulus that bothers you (no problem there) causes a particular reaction (anxiety, for instance). Each time you encounter it, you have to consciously think/travel through a process:
1) identify the offending stimuli , in this case loudly closing doors
2) visualize the thing that makes the sound
3) use a mental relaxation or calming technique to disperse the anxiety

Over time, this changes the associations and connections in your brain so that you are less effected. It takes time and repeated exposure. It doesn't make you less sensitive to the noise, or make the initial reaction stop, it retrains your brain to automatically process the reaction differently.

 

[Judge]

Is it possible to become more tolerant to noises? How do I train myself?

I find this an interesting question actually. Largely because I've never bothered to break it down like this into how I may respond. Though while sensitivity to various types of sounds is likely a very common trait of autism, what I suspect isn't common at all is just how much potential control we may or may not have over such traits.

In my own case it would appear that the only real tolerance I have regarding intrusive, unwanted sounds would be predicated largely on whether or not I can anticipate them coming. If so, at least in my own mind I can prepare for them to some minor degree. Enough to rationalize being able to get over the discomfort faster.

Yet can I equally apply the same rationale to those common everyday intrusive sounds which cannot be anticipated? No, I can't, no matter how much I might tell myself that such sounds are usual to the surroundings. Instead, a fight or flight response occurs almost instantly. Much like a rush of my own adrenaline. Though the real outcome of it all is usually dictated on whether or not such intrusive sounds are repeated. If not, I can usually rebound and go on with whatever I was doing without too much of an interruption. However if such intrusive sounds continue, yes they can linger negatively in my mind for a while. I get over it, but I resent such things taxing my senses as they do. Though in my case a lot of sounds are compounded by having developed tinnitus as well a few years ago.

In terms of sensory issues it's been a daily struggle my entire life. Though it's weird to conclude that I never really gave such things much thought until after concluding I was on the spectrum in my mid-fifties. I guess in looking back on my life up to that point that I simply assumed everyone had the same sensitivities. And that what a revelation it has been to me personally to discover that this is not the case.

 

[Mia]

I wish Libecht. Although it's interesting that I don't have the same reactions, or I'm able to control them under certain circumstances. For example being on a plane, and the roar of takeoff or landing. If I'm unable to get away from the noise, somehow, then I tolerate it.

I like what wight has indicated, as, I have for example gotten used to road construction nearby over a period of weeks. Perhaps because it's predictable and regular.

It's the random noise that startles me, which causes an uncontrollable response which usually interrupts my focus. Then I wait for the next occurrence, when it doesn't happen then I'm distracted at the unpredictability of it all.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

Ever been in a clock tower as it strikes 12. Big ben.

Some days its okay, but some days my wife makes a sound equally as bad.

Swallowing water.
Breathing.

Talking is not so bad thankfully.

Sometimes the sound or the idea of people walking on hard floors drives me round the twist.
More carpets on tv shows please.

All part of my clock tower.

 

[Gracey]

I've only very recently started to look at what preceeds the incident, or more specifically what my state of arousal is/was at the time of the noise incident.

It explains, in my own mind how sometimes I tolerate what; -supposing it runs along a linear path, I shouldn't be able to tolerate and how at other times I'm reduced to a gibbering wreck over the same or similar.

By arousal I mean fear based. Stress, anxiety, heightened senses, hyper vigilance

(I've never gone forward for an ASD diagnosis but have dx for Generalised Anxiety Disorder and OCD to date)

 

[fairy_girl]

Breathing, medication and listening to music in my headphones does it for me. In public though I will mostly hum in public to reduce the noises that I hear constantly, it does help me to focus on that then being jumpy most of the time.

 

[Butterfly88]

I personally haven't had any luck building up noise tolerance. I have heard though for some binaural beats are helpful. Basically you listen to them with headphones or earbuds (a must) and different noises go to each ear. There are some free binaural beat recordings on Youtube.