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More sensitive to noise

Highway Cowboy

Well-Known Member
I'm a 47 year old Aspie Trucker, husband and father.

Just lately I'm noticing that I have become alot more sensitive to noise. The worst one for me is other people eating. I seem to be hypersensitive to the sound of people chewing food and drinking. It absolutely drives me mad to the point I have to leave the room otherwise I think my head would explode. I can't even bear to sit in the same room as my daughter when she is eating and drinking because of the sound of her chewing and swallowing. That sounds awful doesn't it but it just drives me crazy and I can't cope with it, the noise just sends me into sensory overload.

Does anyone else find that they experience this?
 
My sensitivities tend to reflect high and very low frequency sounds, usually at higher volumes. Slow-idling vehicles driving by, neighbors' audio system subwoofers, or screaming toddlers in stores make life difficult at times.

Though tinnitus in my right ear has become the most noticeable and unwanted aspect of hearing in general. :(
 
Maybe investing in a set of ear plugs (and a backup pair) that won't make you stick out too much might be worth it, and it might help de-sensitize the noises. Better to look a bit like a "fool" then to act out all wild in public.
 
I've
Maybe investing in a set of ear plugs (and a backup pair) that won't make you stick out too much might be worth it, and it might help de-sensitize the noises. Better to look a bit like a "fool" then to act out all wild in public.
Maybe investing in a set of ear plugs (and a backup pair) that won't make you stick out too much might be worth it, and it might help de-sensitize the noises. Better to look a bit like a "fool" then to act out all wild in public.
Yes, I'm considering investing in a subtle pair of ear defenders. I've thought about listening to my iPod quietly during these "trigger times" but I worry that people might find it ignorant.
 
Maybe investing in a set of ear plugs (and a backup pair) that won't make you stick out too much might be worth it, and it might help de-sensitize the noises. Better to look a bit like a "fool" then to act out all wild in public.
I've even tried sitting with a thick wooly hat on, pulled down to cover my ears to try and keep out some of the noise. It actually works quite well and is reasonably effective, however a little too warm in the summer months.
 
I've


Yes, I'm considering investing in a subtle pair of ear defenders. I've thought about listening to my iPod quietly during these "trigger times" but I worry that people might find it ignorant.

That's what I use to subdue sounds beyond my apartment. The use of ear defenders and earbuds connected to my tv/audio system. But of course, only in the privacy of my own home.

Not as eloquent- or expensive as some high-quality noise-cancelling headphones.
 
Don't worry what people think. If this helps your sanity, who cares. Tell people, they are hearing aids. They also have foam earplugs, you could cut in half but they do need to be thrown away. But they mold to your ear which is nice. Do what you gotta do to survive on the planet. When l regress or need comfort, l put on onsies pajamas. Talk about slice of heaven. I look like a complete idiot but l don't wear them to the mailbox. I feel enveloped with love and happiness.
 
I'm a 47 year old Aspie Trucker, husband and father.

Just lately I'm noticing that I have become alot more sensitive to noise. The worst one for me is other people eating. I seem to be hypersensitive to the sound of people chewing food and drinking. It absolutely drives me mad to the point I have to leave the room otherwise I think my head would explode. I can't even bear to sit in the same room as my daughter when she is eating and drinking because of the sound of her chewing and swallowing. That sounds awful doesn't it but it just drives me crazy and I can't cope with it, the noise just sends me into sensory overload.

Does anyone else find that they experience this?
had it , then started taking vitamin b complex ( for you probably b six and B3 , it also helps to take magnesium as that is required for normal hearing!if you take indigestion tablets with magnesium in ,you would have to reduce the amount you take in supplement form,if you don’t reduce it let’s say you will become very well acquainted with the toilet , you also need to start practising mindfulness ,look up the word and see what interests you.
vitamin b worked dramatically for me but I was very deficient in it it will depend how deficient you are in it .
 
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The worst one for me is other people eating. I seem to be hypersensitive to the sound of people chewing food and drinking. It absolutely drives me mad to the point I have to leave the room otherwise I think my head would explode. I can't even bear to sit in the same room as my daughter when she is eating and drinking because of the sound of her chewing and swallowing. That sounds awful doesn't it but it just drives me crazy and I can't cope with it, the noise just sends me into sensory overload.

Does anyone else find that they experience this?
YES!!!
I find eating noises to be overwhelmingly gross. This has been a problem for me all my life. My mom often recalls my sensitivity to eating noises when I was a toddler.
My current defense is to turn off my hearing aid.
 
Over the years I've become more sensitive to noise as well. My boyfriend is a loud eater. Once I tried to sleep after seven night shifts in a row and he was noisily eating a cucumber sandwich in the bed next to me. I really felt like strangling him at that point. Of course I didn't, but I made enough angry movements and frustrated grunts that he snuck out of the bedroom and decided to stay in the living room until I had slept.
On the plus side, he also makes a lot of happy noises while eating. I try to focus on those, which usually works, unless my nerves are frayed. Then I just leave the room.
 
Don't worry what people think. If this helps your sanity, who cares. Tell people, they are hearing aids. They also have foam earplugs, you could cut in half but they do need to be thrown away. But they mold to your ear which is nice. Do what you gotta do to survive on the planet. When l regress or need comfort, l put on onsies pajamas. Talk about slice of heaven. I look like a complete idiot but l don't wear them to the mailbox. I feel enveloped with love and happiness.

You can wear them on Halloween and maybe April Fool's Day to mess with people's minds! :D
 
In LA, woman do wear pajama bottoms to store. Just can't get that relaxed. l stick to social norms for my sense of well-being.

But back to OP post. I think sound is such a hot topic here. I don't mind a lot of sounds. But l hate the entainers at my job that sing really loud. Our residents complain too, so it's not me. But musical instruments are okay. Maybe you could try desensitization. Doesn't the truck cab get noisy?
 
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Sensitivity to chewing/swallowing sounds is called misophonia.
I've had it for a long time and it's especially bad with crunchy foods. It sets my teeth on edge and I start to feel very enraged. I often have to leave the room or plug my ears so I can't hear.

Misophonia - Wikipedia
 
Hair dryers
Blenders/food processors
Vacuums
I get real unease, even a strange fearful feeling that I know makes no sense. I feel most sensitive when I'm alone (?). I've gotten to tolerate them mostly but at home I have a set of industrial headphones that I wear when I use my bullet blender. It does help and a lot faster to throw on than dealing with earplugs.
 
I'm a 47 year old Aspie Trucker, husband and father.

Just lately I'm noticing that I have become alot more sensitive to noise. The worst one for me is other people eating. I seem to be hypersensitive to the sound of people chewing food and drinking. It absolutely drives me mad to the point I have to leave the room otherwise I think my head would explode. I can't even bear to sit in the same room as my daughter when she is eating and drinking because of the sound of her chewing and swallowing. That sounds awful doesn't it but it just drives me crazy and I can't cope with it, the noise just sends me into sensory overload.

Does anyone else find that they experience this?

It sounds like a condition called misophonia.
 
I’ve become more sensitive to noise in the last 5 years (I believe hyper focusing and that May have tuned a lot of it out) since I started being more aware of my autism and how it affects me.

I have to wear a Bose or similar headset with noise isolating or cancellation.. otherwise I will get headaches or overwhelmed , taking a lot of time to recuperate. I had use a headset for gun ranges , but it put a lot of pressure on my head which I didn’t like.

I’ve also had Misophonia since my childhood and they are doing more studies which are showing connections between Autism and Misophonia (though more studies will need to be done to show conclusivity.)
 
I have noticed that when my wife drinks beer from a bottle sometimes it really really bothers me ... like I have to put my hands over my ears or leave the room and if I don't leave the room I can sometimes get really angry and want to snap at her because I need it to stop ... other times, I don't even notice it.

I think I become more sensitive to noises and less tolerant of them the higher my stress factor is. Its like all of a sudden a lot of every day noises bother me that don't on other days and it does seem to relate to things that are going on with work or my health.

I haven't thought about using ear buds for that ... but I have used them to help me deal with more consistent sound sensitivity issues. They aren't perfect, but something is better than nothing.
 
I have noticed that when my wife drinks beer from a bottle sometimes it really really bothers me ... like I have to put my hands over my ears or leave the room and if I don't leave the room I can sometimes get really angry and want to snap at her because I need it to stop ... other times, I don't even notice it.
I can relate to this - in the car, my partner often makes kind of sucking noises through his teeth, and it's unbearable. But I don't always notice it, or perhaps it's drowned out by the road noises, or he doesn't always do it... but once I notice it, that's it. It's torture. I can't then tune it out.
 
Temple Grandin explained in one of her videos that the Aspie brain perceives sounds as being louder than they really are.

I hate loud, sudden sounds like a balloon popping or fireworks or guns. I also can't stand to hear someone eating and especially talking while they are eating.
 

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