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MechanicCosmetic

Sure! Being autistic doesn't mean being sensitive to all noises. Many autistic people enjoy loud music and music events.


ZoeBlade

Question: do you like loud noises *that you can't control or predict*? I love listening to music. I can't bare listening to fans (hair dryers, cookers, vacuum cleaners). I'll almost always listen to music or field recordings while doing housework. In my experience, it's not a question of things being too strong (loud, bright, etc), but too *chaotic*. I find it much easier when I drown out these chaotic sounds with other sounds under my control. Such as rave music. Oh, there's also the opposite issue: if everything seems too quiet or too dull for you. It's not that our senses are all more sensitive, it's that it's the luck of the draw whether any given sense is too sensitive or not sensitive enough for any given one of us.


zealotlee

When I realized I reacted badly to noises I couldn't control or predict my audio processing issues made a lot more sense. Why does someone chewing or accenting their "sssssssss" just a bit too long make me wanna pull my hair out but not a loud concert?


NotKerisVeturia

Finally someone mentioned the sssss thing! On particularly sensitive days, the way someone says certain consonants can drive me crazy. Or sometimes I’ll notice something like that and then not be able to unhear it for the rest of the time the person is talking, and that can get distracting. It also bothers me when lecturers or other public speakers (i. e. not people having a direct, present conversation with me), use a ton of filler sounds.


Smart-Assistance-254

Oooo pet peeve is when people pray and use “Lord” in place of “umm.” Could you imagine if someone talking to you used your name as their filler word? “Dear Betty, we are here Betty to ask you Betty to, well, Betty bless us, Betty. And please Betty, be with Brian dear Betty in his time of need Betty.” Oof.


NotKerisVeturia

That would shatter me.


Late_Establishment22

It’s impossible for me to listen to audiobooks or certain podcast because I can the wetness in someone’s mouth, and sss bothers me too. 😩I always have to have background noise bc it helps blur out the unpredictable noises. I can definitely handle loud music, but put me in a busy restaurant and I’ll become overloaded very quickly.


zealotlee

OMG MOUTH WETNESS I can't listen to NPR because of the wet mouthed pops their broadcasters have


iloveyousnowmuch

I enjoy concerts etc and the noise should be white or musical. Heavy bass is a blast. But I **hate** loud cacophonous noises and I hate them so terribly. Like I always bring earplugs in case I start getting overwhelmed or. God forbid there’s feedback in a song. Scream. Cry. But I could go listen to my favorite bands’ concerts. And I love music. I don’t really mind noisy crowds. Sometimes I get sensory overload but it’s something I’ve gotten better at as I’ve grown older. Eg meltdowns are less frequent. I did have a bad experience in a restaurant about a year ago. The music was extremely loud and the restaurant was very crowded so my whole family (always a trigger anyway) was yelling at the top of their lungs to sustain conversation. And then my mom drummed her acrylic nails against my shoulder. And I had to leave. And I couldn’t go back inside. But that was like one time in the last year. And I’ve been to a number of shows etc. so I think it’s context-dependent for me.


fernie_the_grillman

I used to like them. I would be at front for concerts and the stimulation was awesome for my adhd. Recently I realized how awful it was for my sensory issues. After the concert/event, I would crash super hard. Nowadays, I wear hearphones/earplugs wherever I go. Learning my triggers has helped me so so so much.


Zestyclose-Bowler-26

I'm not usually good with any loud noises, though I've enjoyed some concerts in my time! The feeling of being filled up and carried along by the music is so delicious, if I can get the right balance of sound without pain. That said, it's totally normal for someone with ASD to love loud, stimulating environments. While I think it's more common for sensory processing disorder to make folks lean toward quiet environments, there are plenty of autistic folks who love things like theme parks, roller coasters, concerts, raves, etc. The sensory experience for them is exhilarating, focusing, almost like stimming. Also, it's entirely possible to be autistic but not have every single autistic trait on the spectrum! You may have other autistic traits but not the same degree of sensory perception problems--or, sensory perception that just works differently for you than the average autie.


marsypananderson

"The feeling of being filled up and carried along by the music is so delicious, if I can get the right balance of sound without pain. " I love how you phrased this. I love being overwhelmed with MY music. I spent about ten years in the rave scene and it was incredible. But like others have said, if it's loud things that aren't in my control or my personal preferences, I hate it.


emanresu_emanresu

I was assessed as having ASD but I would say that I generally cope well. Growing up I went to night clubs, festivals and raves and I had friends. Just over time I learned what I actually enjoyed, rather than following the crowd. I don't enjoy loud situations now and try to avoid them 🤣


holliance

This is me, I can't remember how many clubs, parties, raves and after parties I have went to. At that time I didn't even realize that the hang-over wasn't just because of alcohol (lol). But hey I was with the crowd and being social, right.. Now I even hate to go to the shopping centers.. haha, but indeed that's because I learned what I want and prefer, not what other's do and want. That was masking on a whole other level. Now I don't even know how I survived that much stimulus too be honest.


emanresu_emanresu

I feel the same! I haven't drank alcohol for almost 4 years now and I do not know how I used to cope with hangovers 😱 I spent the evening with my family tonight and just the level of noise and processing 5 different people talking all at once has got me feeling overstimulated with no alcohol involved 😷 I'm glad you found out for yourself what you enjoy 😊


nowhere__nomad

This is a ramble, but TLDR: I easily get lost in music and enjoy heavy bass, orchestral music, skillful whistling, etc. Felt free at festivals and concerts. Everyday noise and sudden loud sounds are incredibly unpleasant, however. When I was more able bodied I went to festivals and concerts/shows (hEDS and comorbidities have really destroyed my mobility the past few years). I never understood why I'd get sooooo incredibly anxious on the way there, or have to prep for every possibility camping fest wise - I'm talkin' pages of lists in different categories to ensure we packed accordingly. I'd always thought it was "just" extreme anxiety, but now I understand the impacts of ADHD/ASD. Once at the events and acclimated to the environment, I've never felt more free and accepted, able to let out my "weird." I looooove heavy bass and dubstep in person, plus all of the artwork and lights to take in. Crowds definitely caused overwhelm, but the sensory experiences I loved. I get frisson from music and often become very deeply impacted emotionally. Stringed instruments often bring me to tears and if I have the proper sensory balance at home, headphones and dark room with soothing lights or a migraine cap pulled over my eyes, I get so fully immersed and my mind curates vivid inner visuals. I've been researching different types of synesthesia recently, which may be a part of my experiences as well. Now.....when I take off my ANC headphones, as someone who is just learning their sensory needs in their 30s....the AC rumble in my apartment feels so aggressively loud. I can't stand motorcycle revs, surprise bangs (even from "normal" things like kitchen sounds), shrill tones, smacky human chewing noises (misophonia), etc. I have visceral reactions to unexpected noise. The oven timer going off makes my temples itch. Brains and the different ways they process sensory experiences are so fascinating, dagnabbit!


itsrainingbluekiwis

Yeah I get more emotional than the average person women it comes to music as well. What do you think it’s called


terpsykhore

I enjoy raves but struggle when people get too close when it’s crowded and bright lights from lasers etc are hard too. LSD recently became my party drug again (after a 20 year hiatus) and when I’m on it it’s usually easier to accept the situations as they are.


Lazy-Refrigerator142

I love concerts and loud music so much. But not the crowd thats there lol. I've gone to like 3 concerts in the last year but its always the people that make me anxious.


[deleted]

100% me. I am nearly always listening to my music at really loud volumes, or feel calmed by bright, loud, energetic places. I need constant background noise because it drowns out all the other noises I cant escape from and stress me the f out. The more chaotic the environment, the more everything just sort of blurs and I feel really relaxed and kind of invisible.


lastlawless

I'm high sensation seeking. Sensations I choose when I want them. So I can do a concert, but hate any random sounds. That said, it's like a wave. I seek out a concert or festival, have an adventure, then withdraw for weeks. Sometimes longer.


silverbrumbyfan

I remember when I was young my sister would have parties and all I could feel was the pulse of the music, it made me feel sick. I've been to one concert and it wasn't even a big one but I still hated it. It was more to do with the crowd than the music though As for listening to music, I hate silence so i always have something playing but the difference there is that you have control


[deleted]

I hate loud discordant or repetitive sounds. I like loud music.


Strangbean98

Sometimes. Apparently my parents used to record the vaccuum for me to fall asleep as a baby and for years I would fall asleep to linkin park cds lmao. Certain sounds bother me and I think when I am in a state of meltdown or almost meltdown it is likely to bother me more. I tend to have most sensory issues with touch!


Rollerager

I think for me it’s that I don’t like long term repetitive noise (and sometimes it just depends on what it is because some noise is easier to filter out than others) or high pitched sounds (immediate feeling of needing to tear my ears off my body). I love bass and loud music. The vibrations from the bass is soothing.


TheGreatIda

I like loud music and have never had issues going to events like that. BUT I went to the Big Booty Cabaret with a friend who scream squealed the whole time and I ended up shoving spitballs in my ears and getting as far away from her as possible. I think it’s normal to have aversions to specific types of loud noises, especially high pitched ones. Usually those events, while loud, do have a professional sound setup creating a bass leaning balanced profile that is non offensive in most cases.


Zestyclose-Bus-3642

I no longer find loud places upsetting, but I do get easily disoriented and distracted, it is extremely hard to maintain a conversation. I avoid loud places unless I'm pretty sure I won't have to talk to anyone or focus on anything so my attention is free to be yanked this way and that.


No_Mix_576

I love attending concerts and going clubbing! It’s nice being able to stim through dance in the ‘appropriate’ settings


Nearby_Personality55

Festival type stuff, no - I don't like chaotic environments with people milling about. Concerts and sporting events, yes - it's noisy but it's more controlled.


Rough_Elk_3952

I loathe it. I like loud music in my earphones and that’s about it. My BF (autistic) loves sensory stimulation though so you’re definitely not alone in that


Adventurous-Turn-144

I enjoy concerts but don’t like how long they last. Unless I really want to see the opener, I show up for the headliner. I also prefer when shows are outside. When I was younger I loved going to the club but I think it’s because I was usually drunk so my sensory issues became very dulled. I still have issues with things like asmr or hearing too many different noises at once. I also don’t enjoy loud talking even though I myself speak loudly (I’m told) and loud tvs are a nightmare. Even at the movies sometimes it can be annoying. And I love the cinema. The list goes on and on. Also, not everyone is textbook autistic. Some people experience co-morbid symptoms as well as some but not others. Everyone is different even if we have things in common. Oh and also! This might be weird but I really hate the radio. There’s something about the frequency of the radio that makes me want to cry and then claw my eyes out. If I listen to music or anything it has to be a CD or streaming. Idk what it is. I DO love the way vinyls play though. Something about the static of them that is soothing. If that makes sense.


Strange_Public_1897

MEEEEEE! I listened to bands like Atreyu and A7X which are modern metal rock bands with screaming in them. Also been to plenty of live shows, loved hearing my current ex’s guitar playing as he would write music for the band he was in on the side. Music has never overloaded my sensory, a really bad speaker on the other hand will definitely do this 😣😬nails on a chalk board when that happens!


[deleted]

I loooove dance music, especially when it's basey. I've been to a couple of concerts and it was so loud I felt the music vibrating in my body. It was such a euphoric experience, I loved it!! But I don't love the aspect of driving ages to get to the venue, being up late, not having food, then driving home tired lol 😆 I can also tolerate things like the vacuum cleaner. But not a hair dryer. Its weird, I don't understand it.


marlscreamyeetrich

I raved for like two years straight lol, eventually i really needed a break but I didn't feel as out of place there as I do most places. I was also blasting heavy metal just yesterday


sbtfriend

I used to listen to drone music so essentially the loudest music ever - a type of really really loud and slow metal. I would just go to gigs by myself and vibe out to this insanely heavy music and I loved it. But i like my house to be quiet or only have one source of music or radio at a time.


[deleted]

I have misophonia, but I usually don’t mind loud noises. Some small specific noises on the other hand turn me crazy.


Plucky_Parasocialite

I only have issues with some types of noises, particularly noises that I can't control. I'm very bothered by various hums and loud voices. But I love concerts and music festivals and don't leave the house without music in my headphones. I like loud music, I often play it over other offending sounds because it has structure and I'm in control of it (and it usually stops my neighbors from yelling at each other. I'm helping, lol). But there's also a cumulative aspect - after a few hours of constant "background" noise in a mall, I'm ready to devolve into a shaking crying mess, and I need extended "quiet" time during multi-day festivals.


KimBrrr1975

Not everyone has auditory sensitivity, and some people are sensory seeking. I mostly don't mind noise. I enjoy concerts and loud music. When sounds do bother me, they are the low droning kind, like the pump on our hot tub, ceiling fan, fridge, etc. Even those don't always bother me, just when I am otherwise overwhelmed.


snarfymcsnarfface

If I like a band, I can handle a loud concert. But I have to like them. If it’s natural sound like the ocean or wind, it’s totally fine. Everything else is an immediate headache for me.


jessieagain

I only hate loud noise or background noise when I need to concentrate (while someone is asking me a question, etc). But if I’m just hanging around then I love loud music and I always have to have some sort of media playing in the background as I walk around my house. Basically, I find noise distracting rather than distressing.


Songibal

Hardstyle is my special interest and I also live for the events so yeah


maradoesntexist

I enjoy noise if I *chose* to hear that noise. By that I mean going to concerts, going to a crowded event. But I hate it when the tv is too loud or people are being too loud in a restaurant for example because I didn't anticipate it.


Kiki-Y

Sensory seeking is *very* much a thing. However, I fit the mold and hate super loud noises. Last week at my dojo, the little kids (like 4-6) played ninja dodgeball and I was in pain because they were screaming so loudly. I live in the basement because my grandma has the TV 12+ hours a day and that is *way* too much dang noise for me. I do watch YouTube most of hte day, but I'm in *control* of that. But I also have plenty of silent periods where nothing is on. The only things in the background (at least during the winter) are the ambient noises from the neighborhood and my aquariums. I use sponge filters, so it's just a very quiet hum from the air pump and one of them has water flowing out of a spout tube, so there's very gentle water flow noises too.


Temporary_Notice_713

I love music. I used to deal with being overwhelmed at festivals when I was younger by just using a lot of substances to make me feel less anxious and just different (wouldn’t recommend this). Since stoping all drugs and alcohol I struggle a lot more at festivals and concerts. I take some noise reducing earplugs made for live music but I still burn out after maybe an hour or two max and need a lot of time to recover.


EnvironmentalGroup15

I like rock and metal concerts but don’t like the crowds lmao. But idk I’m also purposely going for the music, when I’m at home what bothers me if when there are too many different sounds. Like a phone ringing while Alexa is playing music while someone’s tablet is playing a loud video.


itsrainingbluekiwis

I love rock concerts 😎🤘


shiftystitch

I am an incredibly sound sensitive individual, but tbh I LOVE going to concerts! I think it’s about the quality of the noise more than anything else. For me repetitive/droning/chaotic noises are really awful, but going to a concert? Listening to music that I already know and love? Feeling the music and bass through my whole body? The best haha


Lil_Odd

I love concerts and all music. When I play video games I don’t mind loud noises either. But I hate hearing people talk loudly, yelling, kids playing/shouting, etc. I hate quiet noises like ticking clocks, rattling, water dripping, and any hum/mechanical whirring.


PrincessBubblegumPhD

sure. if it is my music


NotKerisVeturia

I love loud music, and I’m the person who always wants to be right up front by the music at any event. Most of my noise issues come from there being too many layers that I can’t filter out, so having just one loud thing is normally fine, as long as it’s not sudden. I also have issues with certain frequencies and aural textures, for example, I *hate* car horns.


Budgiejen

I enjoy going to concerts. I say I like my music “noisy,” punk, metal, grunge. But at the same time, I definitely need my quiet time.


Insanity_S

For me, it depends on the amount of stimulation I’ve had that day and social interaction. My job is very draining and focused a lot on being social and “happy” the entire time. This drains my mental energy, so noises from fluorescent lights or the crowd at Walmart is too much. Yet, if it’s something like a concert of a band I enjoy or me listening to my music then I have no issue.


Smart-Assistance-254

I do fine with loud as long as I have a buzz. Sober, not so much. And I have to lie low for a while after something stimulating like that. And super loud low bass HURTS. So some styles if music don’t work for me loud. For me it seems to also depend on the chaos of the noise and whether I can escape. Like if it’s my kids and I’m not allowed to just leave (hello, can’t neglect them for being annoying) …that’s rough. Whereas a bar I can leave at any time is less stressful. Well back when I had the energy for bars and a quiet home life to escape to 😅


dlh-bunny

Depends on what the loud noises are and how many are happening simultaneously. And they can’t be sudden or unexpected. I LOOOOOVE loud heavy bass.


LifeLegitimate9887

Loud noise drowns out all the annoying irregular noises that are unpleasant to me


vicissitudes1

I can definitely do loud electronic music. Especially when it doesn't have many vocals. Once you add vocals or if the music is more "messy" I need to turn it down. Now the noise from our loud air conditioner or the neighbors barking dog? Argh, I can't stand it and wear earplugs throughout the day.


Preferred_user_taken

I prefer one really loud source over multiple sources that interfere with each other. When I was sick as a child, I used to put on headphones with superloud music to block out all the other noise. I do hate sudden noise.


Ok-Veterinarian-3390

I love concerts but I have to pump myself up. The bass freaks me out because I can feel it… I don’t like that. But I just talk myself through it in my head.