It's been a while since my last update and really I didn't mean for it to have been so long, I have been incredibly busy and stressed with it. I have just got a new tablet and new business phone and trying to adjust to these and also making the most of new technologies has proved slightly challenging even though I am pretty good with new technology. However here I am now, sat with said tablet writing my first update on it.
Sounds and distractions are the inspiration behind this post, please bear in mind that I'm writing of my experiences and not a generalisation of Aspergers Syndrome. Tonight I was sat synchronizing my google calendar and booking systems onto various devices and various other things and it was taking me forever. I was getting distracted by the tv which my husband was watching and other things that were going on. I just couldn't think straight. I found myself getting more and more stressed out, the more stressed I became the harder things were and the more difficult it was to shut those things out. People with Asperger's sometimes have problems with how they perceive or process through their senses, with hearing being one of them.
Sensory issues can manifest in a number of ways, they can be heightened or under sensitised, specifically in terms of hearing (since this blog topic is sounds) certain sounds can appear louder than others, all sounds can hit at the same volume or certain sounds can be distressing. In social environments I find it so hard to follow what people are saying to me if there are lots of conversations going on or sounds around simply because I'm unable to filter out all the things I don't need to hear. It can be frustrating and embarrassing as I just end up nodding along, smiling like I have some idea what has been said and hoping they don't ask a question or I don't say something that reveals I have absolutely no idea what has been said over the last half an hour!
On this occasion in the end I resorted to getting hold of my headphones and iPod as I so often do in order to regain my concentration...and it worked! As soon as I pressed play an instant wave of calm and relief passed over me and I could concentrate again. I think this works by filtering out all the things my brain has to work hard to work out replacing it by something easier to listen to, music. My husband often moans that it is like I have a soundtrack to my life as I walk around the house with my iPod on or music playing through loudspeaker on my iPhone, its that or the hifi is blaring and he can't concentrate the same way I can with music. I seem to need music to fully concentrate, he needs quiet to concentrate and the odd sound doesn't distract him! Does anyone else do this too? Or what do you find distracts or helps you?
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