Issues with loud or agitated music?

[DissolvedGirl]

Hello!

I've just recently realized that I'm an aspie and these past weeks have been filled with revelations. One of them was the whole sensory sensitivity aspect, I've always had low tolerance to loud noises, bright lights, crowded places, stores and so on.
But there's one thing in particular that's gotten worse over the years, I don't even know when it began: I really can't stand agitated or loud music anymore, especially if I'm tired. From time to time I can get into older songs I was into that aren't exactly mellow, but usually if I'm my tired self and I'm gonna hear an aggressive trap tune or some many-beats-per-minute song played a little too loud, I'm going to feel really uncomfortable, sometimes to the point of physical sensations.
Nowadays I've been listening to a lot of jazz and bossa nova, I feel that natural musical instruments soothe me in a special way. I need music in the background when I'm working but I can't deal with anything intrusive. I've had a big old-skool dub period as well, the repetitive, low tempo, bassy rhythms were really beneficial as well.
When I listen to music in my headphones it's at a normal volume, but when I'm indoors and I have to do something else as well, it's going to bother me. It gets worse the more exhausted I am. It's a bummer, really, I feel kinda bad every time I have to ask my boyfriend to turn down the volume or change the song.
Do you ever get bothered by loud or aggressive music?

 

[FreeDiver]

I think that sensory issues do get worse as you get older. At least it's been happening to me in my 40's. I use to listen to loud, aggressive and upbeat music when I was younger. Now I mostly listen to slower more melodic music now. Here is an example of some of the music I listen to to calm down and decompress with.

 

[kay]

When I was younger I would listen to some Metallica, now it just makes me jittery. Though even when I was younger I could only handle later Metallica, the early stuff always bothered me. And while I still appreciate Zappa it's something I can't listen to in large doses. The last few years I have really been enjoying Devotchka.

 

[aspieoutlaw89]

i tend to emotionally break down when i hear love-music that makes me think about recent girlfriends who dumped me.

 

[Tom]

Music has a strong physiological effect and it does tend to change with age. I started my shift away from rock all the time around age 20. From then on rock decreased to ever smaller episodes and much quieter classical, jazz, ethnic folk filled the void.

For a while now they (researchers) have known certain musics help with thought processes, and others disrupt it. I just stumbled into the same conclusion accidently.

 

[Shamar]

Hello!
But there's one thing in particular that's gotten worse over the years, I don't even know when it began: I really can't stand agitated or loud music anymore, especially if I'm tired. From time to time I can get into older songs I was into that aren't exactly mellow, but usually if I'm my tired self and I'm gonna hear an aggressive trap tune or some many-beats-per-minute song played a little too loud, I'm going to feel really uncomfortable, sometimes to the point of physical sensations.

I have always found this kind of "music" to be nothing more than noise. I have always preferred music with some sort of structure, when different parts reinforce the others without dominating. Try (if you haven't already) listening to some Mozart, Haydn, Lully, and other baroque era music. You may find it is what you are looking for.

It seems to me there is a philosophy that bad music can be turned into good music by playing it as loud as possible, to the point where distortion overwhelms the badness. I disagree. Bad music is bad music no matter how loud it is played.

 

[DissolvedGirl]

i tend to emotionally break down when i hear love-music that makes me think about recent girlfriends who dumped me.

Aww, I feel you. Certain songs trigger almost-instant tears. Usually mixed feelings tears, a combination of sadness, nostalgia, longing, some positive vibes as well.

 

[DissolvedGirl]

I think that sensory issues do get worse as you get older. At least it's been happening to me in my 40's. I use to listen to loud, aggressive and upbeat music when I was younger. Now I mostly listen to slower more melodic music now. Here is an example of some of the music I listen to to calm down and decompress with.

Thank you for the reccomendations! I find the same thing happening to me.

 

[DissolvedGirl]

Music has a strong physiological effect and it does tend to change with age. I started my shift away from rock all the time around age 20. From then on rock decreased to ever smaller episodes and much quieter classical, jazz, ethnic folk filled the void.

For a while now they (researchers) have known certain musics help with thought processes, and others disrupt it. I just stumbled into the same conclusion accidently.

Make sense. I could listen to rock in my teens but now it will make me feel agitated. Jazz and classical music are a pleasure for my ears, and I can always find non-intrusive tunes within those genres to listen to when I work.

 

[Gracey]

Depends on what else I have to listen to at the same time.

Tolerating the general, tumultuous fuss of a (lately) busier household and sunshine bringing out neighbours young children, dogs left in the garden barking, increased traffic on adjacent primary route,
I find I have less patience for loud, aggressive music or complicated piano pieces (classical)

I’m guessing I need soothing and so go for something more soothing?

 

[freewaydog]

I love rock, punk, heavy metal, new age (as FreeDiver posted up there), & classical I could take or leave. But rap/hip-hop, disco & commercial pop are negative triggers for me.

 

[RatKing]

I love super loud metal and punk and I love going to see live shows with lots of crowd energy. It has a physiological effect, but I enjoy this feeling. I also love classical music.

 

[InvisibleSquirrel]

This is interesting. I am a recently diagnosed 54 yr old female. We are all so different, I think that’s one of the reasons that no one ever suspected me of being an Aspie until a couple months ago.

I have always been a metalhead. I listen to other types of music too, especially if it’s complex and interesting. I can’t stand pop music, or anything that sounds “superficial” to me (my opinion, I don’t expect agreement).

My tastes haven’t changed, I love hearing new bands and watching the genres evolve. I prefer the more complicated stuff like Opeth or The Faceless.

Here’s where I’m “weird” (for a metalhead): I can’t listen to it when I’m driving in the city, I will turn it off and that confuses people. I can’t listen to it and talk to anyone or think or do any other task that isn’t on “autopilot”. There are a whole bunch of situations where it’s just too distracting for me. Actually it’s this way for any type of music that I like.

I love concerts, that is the only situation where being in a crowd will not trigger a meltdown. But for me this is a very specific, planned and controlled experience.

Aggressive, complicated, loud music, when I can completely focus on it, is actually very calming for me. I’ve tried to explain it to people, it’s like how you use linseed oil to clean oil paints from paintbrushes. That anger and frustration mixed with my own and gets washed away and I feel better.

I do admit that the music I don’t like is WAY more annoying to me now, it’s harder to tune out. Happy pop music makes me angry and agitated , I’ve always been a freak.

 

[Progster]

I used to listen to some prog metal/power metal bands like Blind Guardian, but now find that I can't... or I can't have them on too loud or for too long, they are tiring mentally. I have heard that there is a muscle in your ear that gets worn out, more so as you get older, and it gets harder to tolerate loud music (I only speak for myself here), but it could be a sensory issue, I'm not sure. Also, I have hyperacusis, I can't bear high pitched sounds.

Advertising jingles are a real trigger for me, I can't stand them! Also, R&B music with loud, wailing voices makes me want to run a mile. I don't like most pop music either, I prefer music with some complexity to it like progressive rock.

 

[Highway Cowboy]

Hello!

I've just recently realized that I'm an aspie and these past weeks have been filled with revelations. One of them was the whole sensory sensitivity aspect, I've always had low tolerance to loud noises, bright lights, crowded places, stores and so on.
But there's one thing in particular that's gotten worse over the years, I don't even know when it began: I really can't stand agitated or loud music anymore, especially if I'm tired. From time to time I can get into older songs I was into that aren't exactly mellow, but usually if I'm my tired self and I'm gonna hear an aggressive trap tune or some many-beats-per-minute song played a little too loud, I'm going to feel really uncomfortable, sometimes to the point of physical sensations.
Nowadays I've been listening to a lot of jazz and bossa nova, I feel that natural musical instruments soothe me in a special way. I need music in the background when I'm working but I can't deal with anything intrusive. I've had a big old-skool dub period as well, the repetitive, low tempo, bassy rhythms were really beneficial as well.
When I listen to music in my headphones it's at a normal volume, but when I'm indoors and I have to do something else as well, it's going to bother me. It gets worse the more exhausted I am. It's a bummer, really, I feel kinda bad every time I have to ask my boyfriend to turn down the volume or change the song.
Do you ever get bothered by loud or aggressive music?

Totally with you there girl, I think it's worse if I can't control it,, if it's on my radio in my vehicle for example then I can change the frequency or adjust the volume. But if its in somewhere like a public place and I cannot control it then I find it very difficult to deal with and just have to get out of there.
It's not just music, it can be something as simple as other people talking. Sometimes I just can't bear other people's voice, really overloads my senses. I can be sat at home and my wife and daughter can be talking to me and I just have to leave the room and be on my own for a couple of hours..complete Sensory overload

 

[Shamar]

Music has a strong physiological effect

During Christmas season I can't go shopping. The constant barrage of Christmas music is just too painful. Not that the music is bad, but the entire season seems devoted to celebrating family, friends, and togetherness. There is nothing quite so emotionally painful as being alone and surrounded by people celebrating togetherness. Christmas music is a constant reminder of this.

 

[DissolvedGirl]

During Christmas season I can't go shopping. The constant barrage of Christmas music is just too painful. Not that the music is bad, but the entire season seems devoted to celebrating family, friends, and togetherness. There is nothing quite so emotionally painful as being alone and surrounded by people celebrating togetherness. Christmas music is a constant reminder of this.

Aww, I'm sorry you feel that way. I mostly notice the capitalist side of Christmas these days. When I was a kid it was different, the spirit of christmas was really there. But these days, many people are just going into a mini-psychosis with each holiday, marked by overconsumption and useless stress. The celebrating togetherness part is getting weaker and weaker by the year in western society, at least that's how I feel. People are too busy living their alternate digital lives to even have a proper family meal anymore