Noise and autism. What's your experience?

[tazz]

When I was assessed and diagnosed as autistic about 10 months ago, it was identified that I have some visual sensitivities that can contribute to degradation of executive function and eventually to becoming overwhelmed and shutting down.

It was also noted that I have some auditory sensitivities but it was not so clear that they actually cause me any issues. However, more recently, I've been working with specialists to learn more about how I experience sensory input and it was suggested that noise cancelling headphones might be worth trying. The team I've been working with have various resources for clients to try out including some good headphones. So I borrowed them and I've been using them for a couple of days.

It's too early to tell what affect they'll have, if any, in the long term. But I can say already that I feel more relaxed when I'm wearing them, particularly around other people. It seems that I find it easier to stay inside my own head rather than becoming focused on everything going on around me.

I wanted to ask those of you who have auditory sensitivity and use headphones, how would you describe your experience when you're using them compared to not using them?

Thanks.

 

[Misty Avich]

I need NC headphones when at home because of the noisy people upstairs. They have a toddler that runs around and I'm more sensitive to the thumping noises they make than my husband is. I got some NC headphones and I cannot hear their noise at all with them on.
However, NC headphones can hinder you. Like I have to use earplugs for such activities such as washing my hair and sleeping. I'm a very expressive person who loves to chat and communicate, so having my ears shielded can become a problem in that regard.

I don't wear NC headphones or ear plugs when not at home, although I feel like wearing NC headphones in supermarkets to drown out the noise of kids and babies, as they are the only thing in public that agitates me and sometimes high-pitched squealing can really hurt my ears enough to make me not have much compassion for them or their parents.

I have NC headphones on right now as I'm posting this, as I'm in the bath and usually the people upstairs tumble into the bathroom above and bang and thump about, and I just want peace and quiet.

If I were rich then I'd move to an isolated house or cottage with no neighbours.

 

[Judge]

Living in a multi-unit apartment complex, I sometimes need to wear ear protectors with high noise-reduction ratings (same kind as I wear at a firing range) to drown out landscapers' leaf blowers, and other very high volume outdoor noise-making devices. Worse still are those people who insist that the entire city be able to hear their blaring car stereo systems. Nicer still when I can fit two earbud-style stereo headphones under my ear protectors and get the best of both worlds to mute or drown out such sounds.

Luckily the neighbors below me and aside my unit don't usually put out sound that bothers me, although the plumbing in the unit next door is becoming so noisy I find myself having to shut the bathroom door.

Going to stores like Walmart can be a challenge, mostly because of toddlers screaming at the top of their lungs. But I choose not to wear ear protectors outside of my home.

Basically really high and really low pitch sounds can get to me if they last very long.

 

[tazz]

Basically really high and really low pitch sounds can get to me if they last very long.

Get to you in what way? Do you immediately know that the sound is getting to you or does that feeling come on only if the sound persists? (if you don't mind sharing of course).

 

[Judge]

Get to you in what way? Do you immediately know that the sound is getting to you or does that feeling come on only if the sound persists? (if you don't mind sharing of course).

Hard to say how and how long such a sound has to occur (or last) to where I go into a "fight or flight" response. Most of the time it doesn't get to that point though.

Usually I just grouse and wait for something to pass....or will don on my ear protectors if indoors.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I wish I could use noise-cancelling headphones. However, with my persistent tinnitus, removing external sound only amplifies the tinnitus. I can't be in a quiet room. Whenever I am in a loud environment or one with high-frequency sounds, I just have to grin and bear it.

 

[tazz]

removing external sound only amplifies the tinnitus

These headphones provide some sort of white noise when they are noise cancelling. I'm not sure if all NC headphones do that. But anyway, it's enough to drown out the very slight tinnitus I have.

 

[Judge]

How Noise-Cancelling Headphones Work (and How We Test Them)

What does noise cancellation actually do to block outside sound and why does it add so much to the cost of headphones? We explain, along with how we test this feature for our reviews.

www.pcmag.com

 

[The Pandector]

I was thrust into a noisy environment for my wife's passing, stayed there for a year afterwards. During her passing, I gradually shut down to being able to handle nothing other than her care. Afterward, I was an absolute wreck, and they all knew for sure that the best thing for me was to come out and get all involved with what was going on. Honestly, I knew that I was one of those men that doesn't make it a year past their wife's death, and I waited. Home life was simply torturous.

Remembered once trying my son's air travel NC headphones, and that it had shaken me in a deep interior place to suddenly experience quiet. Went with Sony's 1000XM4, started playing Xbox or watching TV with them; it touched me in that deep place to enjoy entertainment without the ambient racket, but was like moving from a 10 to a 9.5 on the sensory Richter scale. Just for comfort, I started wearing them often; it was probably a month before I noticed anything beyond just immediate relief.

Long story not as long, I moved out of that house. It took about three months to begin to notice the change in myself. An important part of my self-care during that period was to use my NC's most of the time. Not that noise was the only problem; I've always had weird visual issues, but during those vicious days I learned to block out stabbing lights and high contrasts. When awake, I had one economical setting for my lights and never changed them until I went to bed; my brain was used to a light groove, and I was willing to mollify it.

By the time I had been living alone for six months, I was able to inventory a better apparatus. I was coming to grips with my diagnosis and learning that my sensory problems were directly related. Life is more livable when we know what we're dealing with.

Now, I use NC's for entertainment and occasionally put them on for the psychotic dog down the road or when the gardener has his equipment going. No longer a full-time requirement, they are a frequent tool. I told you that story so you'd know I mean it when I say that noise cancelling headphones can literally be a life changer.

What I haven't figured out is why the sudden and astounding increase in sensitivity after the trauma of my wife's passing. I've always been deeply impacted by the pressures of noise and civilization, but never anything like a complete disability. Now, I know I'm on the spectrum and keep as great a distance as possible from the din of civilization, for instance, putting the headphones on Before the barking starts getting to me.

BTW, techies... after several thousand hours of flawless use, the XM4's went belly up, I upgraded to XM5's; worth the hit if you can take it.

 

[Mills]

I’ve never worn actual headphones because I personally don’t like how they look, but I do wear earplugs in certain scenarios from time to time. I was very noise-sensitive as a child. I remember afraid of the scoreboard in my elementary school gym because of the loud buzzing sound it made. I don’t doubt there are family pictures with me covering my ears.

 

[Jumpinbare]

Sounds with high frequency components definitely set me on edge, as well as loud sounds. I have used active noise cancelling ear buds in stores and while driving (they cut the tire and wind noise very well). I really love the improvement of being able to be around noise, but I can only use them a limited time before they become physically painful to the ears.

 

[Rodafina]

I wanted to ask those of you who have auditory sensitivity and use headphones, how would you describe your experience when you're using them compared to not using them?

Mine give me a sense of control in an otherwise chaotic environment. Unwanted sound causes chaos in my thinking and fury in my feelings. Having my headphones at the ready at all times gives me a sense of being able to have some control over disturbing and distracting sensory input. They are not always perfect and they are not always appropriate, but it is one tool that I have to manage the overwhelming feelings that occur from auditory overstimulation.

 

[Cryptid]

I have an app on my smartwatch that causes a vibration and beeps whenever local sound exceeds 80 dB.

 

[Fraxinus]

For some reason I don't understand, people like to watch television shows on their smartphones in public - at full volume. This drives me crazy. I get so angry. It doesn't seem to bother anyone but me.
I really need to start carrying earplugs with me.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

For some reason I don't understand, people like to watch television shows on their smartphones in public - at full volume. This drives me crazy. I get so angry. It doesn't seem to bother anyone but me.
I really need to start carrying earplugs with me.

I don't get this habit, either. If I went up to people and starting making noise and waving my hands in their face, they'd hate it. Yet, it's somehow normal we're all part of each other's entertainment experience. And I really hate when people blast music out on walking trails. I don't go into the middle of the woods to be bombarded by noise.

 

[SeanF]

I wish I could use noise-cancelling headphones. However, with my persistent tinnitus, removing external sound only amplifies the tinnitus. I can't be in a quiet room. Whenever I am in a loud environment or one with high-frequency sounds, I just have to grin and bear it.

I do as well. If I wear earplugs, the ringing is like listening to annoying bells in an echo chamber. I use NC headphones whenever possible, but I need to have music or a podcast on as well so that I do not have to hear the intensified ringing.

I have found that if I can have music, usually ambient or IDM with deeper tones and bass, playing I can hold onto the music and partially dampen the other painful noises. Also, sense it does not have words, sometimes I will just put in one ear bud and leave the other ear open. So long as I like the music, it still manages to calm my nervous system down a bit.

 

[SeanF]

Mine give me a sense of control in an otherwise chaotic environment. Unwanted sound causes chaos in my thinking and fury in my feelings. Having my headphones at the ready at all times gives me a sense of being able to have some control over disturbing and distracting sensory input. They are not always perfect and they are not always appropriate, but it is one tool that I have to manage the overwhelming feelings that occur from auditory overstimulation.

100%

 

[SeanF]

I was thrust into a noisy environment for my wife's passing, stayed there for a year afterwards. During her passing, I gradually shut down to being able to handle nothing other than her care. Afterward, I was an absolute wreck, and they all knew for sure that the best thing for me was to come out and get all involved with what was going on. Honestly, I knew that I was one of those men that doesn't make it a year past their wife's death, and I waited. Home life was simply torturous.

Remembered once trying my son's air travel NC headphones, and that it had shaken me in a deep interior place to suddenly experience quiet. Went with Sony's 1000XM4, started playing Xbox or watching TV with them; it touched me in that deep place to enjoy entertainment without the ambient racket, but was like moving from a 10 to a 9.5 on the sensory Richter scale. Just for comfort, I started wearing them often; it was probably a month before I noticed anything beyond just immediate relief.

Long story not as long, I moved out of that house. It took about three months to begin to notice the change in myself. An important part of my self-care during that period was to use my NC's most of the time. Not that noise was the only problem; I've always had weird visual issues, but during those vicious days I learned to block out stabbing lights and high contrasts. When awake, I had one economical setting for my lights and never changed them until I went to bed; my brain was used to a light groove, and I was willing to mollify it.

By the time I had been living alone for six months, I was able to inventory a better apparatus. I was coming to grips with my diagnosis and learning that my sensory problems were directly related. Life is more livable when we know what we're dealing with.

Now, I use NC's for entertainment and occasionally put them on for the psychotic dog down the road or when the gardener has his equipment going. No longer a full-time requirement, they are a frequent tool. I told you that story so you'd know I mean it when I say that noise cancelling headphones can literally be a life changer.

What I haven't figured out is why the sudden and astounding increase in sensitivity after the trauma of my wife's passing. I've always been deeply impacted by the pressures of noise and civilization, but never anything like a complete disability. Now, I know I'm on the spectrum and keep as great a distance as possible from the din of civilization, for instance, putting the headphones on Before the barking starts getting to me.

BTW, techies... after several thousand hours of flawless use, the XM4's went belly up, I upgraded to XM5's; worth the hit if you can take it.

I am sorry you had to go through this. I can't even imagine how difficult that must have been.

I too have recently learned that I am Autistic. I am not sure how I made it in the days before NC headphones. They are a lifeline in so many instances and help me avoid shutting down or being utterly spent after focusing all of my energy on ignoring the noise that is triggering me. I have like my Sony headphones as they boost the bass, but I also like my son's Beats Studio headphones.

To answer your question, I have often heard someone's ability to handle stimulus is like a window. The book Widen the Window by Elizabeth Stanley PhD, discusses this concept at great length. But the idea is that people all face a stimulus, good or bad, through a window. The wider your personal window is, the easier that stimulus is to handle. The problem is that many of us begin with windows that are nearly closed. There are many reasons for this. The book mainly discusses trauma, but I would say that it also applies to people on the spectrum. Whenever more stimulus is added to the equation, the window closes even further. That makes it even more difficult to deal with something that might have been easier to handle when your window was more open.

While I am rushing to explain this, perhaps that would explain heightened sensitivities to things after traumatic events? At least it is something to consider, and I have found it to be accurate in my experience of the world. Either way, I hope life settles down for you.

 

[The Pandector]

I am sorry you had to go through this. I can't even imagine how difficult that must have been.

I too have recently learned that I am Autistic. I am not sure how I made it in the days before NC headphones. They are a lifeline in so many instances and help me avoid shutting down or being utterly spent after focusing all of my energy on ignoring the noise that is triggering me. I have like my Sony headphones as they boost the bass, but I also like my son's Beats Studio headphones.

To answer your question, I have often heard someone's ability to handle stimulus is like a window. The book Widen the Window by Elizabeth Stanley PhD, discusses this concept at great length. But the idea is that people all face a stimulus, good or bad, through a window. The wider your personal window is, the easier that stimulus is to handle. The problem is that many of us begin with windows that are nearly closed. There are many reasons for this. The book mainly discusses trauma, but I would say that it also applies to people on the spectrum. Whenever more stimulus is added to the equation, the window closes even further. That makes it even more difficult to deal with something that might have been easier to handle when your window was more open.

While I am rushing to explain this, perhaps that would explain heightened sensitivities to things after traumatic events? At least it is something to consider, and I have found it to be accurate in my experience of the world. Either way, I hope life settles down for you.

Sorry to ignore your response; I’ve been trying to soak up what you’re saying here. It is counterintuitive to me, because I see my problem more as my window being stuck wide open and admitting more stimulus than I’m calibrated to handle. But with the stimulus seen as the constant, the final amount of stimulus received is determined by how open the window is, and you are suggesting that a wide open window is best.

I see narrowing the window as the obvious self protection from overstimulation, so the idea is counterintuitive to me. However, it is an attractive possibility to face problems in full technicolor rather than protecting yourself against them. So, I am processing, and appreciate you for sending this my way.

I should be clear to say that life has already improved somewhat. Knowing I’m autistic has given me a touchstone. But living alone, able to keep my own hours, keep a kitchen and bathroom that don’t repulse me, have quiet whenever I need it, and mostly to escape the stress of a family that thrives on drama… all of that has allowed me to find a new center, one which takes into account this new information. Specifically, knowing that most people are not evil and rather stupid, but are actually severely handicapped with an emotional apparatus that requires they join in the foolishness. Wait… I mean, uh… now that I understand the basis of my own emotional distance. I’m getting there.

 

[SeanF]

Sorry to ignore your response; I’ve been trying to soak up what you’re saying here. It is counterintuitive to me, because I see my problem more as my window being stuck wide open and admitting more stimulus than I’m calibrated to handle. But with the stimulus seen as the constant, the final amount of stimulus received is determined by how open the window is, and you are suggesting that a wide open window is best.

I see narrowing the window as the obvious self protection from overstimulation, so the idea is counterintuitive to me. However, it is an attractive possibility to face problems in full technicolor rather than protecting yourself against them. So, I am processing, and appreciate you for sending this my way.

I should be clear to say that life has already improved somewhat. Knowing I’m autistic has given me a touchstone. But living alone, able to keep my own hours, keep a kitchen and bathroom that don’t repulse me, have quiet whenever I need it, and mostly to escape the stress of a family that thrives on drama… all of that has allowed me to find a new center, one which takes into account this new information. Specifically, knowing that most people are not evil and rather stupid, but are actually severely handicapped with an emotional apparatus that requires they join in the foolishness. Wait… I mean, uh… now that I understand the basis of my own emotional distance. I’m getting there.

First off, I love hearing that your life has improved somewhat. (And yes, I had to go back and add this because I originally jumped right in by responding to the question about the window concept.) Oh well. LOVED the last part of your response by the way. It made me laugh because I can so easily relate.

According to my understanding, the size of the opening of the window is not self-determined. Nor is it meant to represent an ideal or "the best." It is more a description of the starting point of your nervous system. This can obviously fluctuate greatly at any point during the day, but I think we each have a baseline of sorts. I attached a picture I found online that correlated with this idea. It is just an example. I have not thoroughly researched how accurate this is statistically. But it is an example of how someone's nervous system with Autism or trauma can look different from a person that does not have them. While the picture is not a window, you can imagine the difference between the two different neurologies in much the same way. So greater family stress puts everyone closer to the red stress threshold line. The closer one is to that line, the quicker that person becomes overwhelmed.