differnt sensory processing than other aspies. is it normal?

Post Reply New Topic

So, I read all the time things about aspergers like "can't filter background noise".
for me it doesn't work like that, maybe I could say it is the opposite. I can take only one sensory at a time most of the times. for instance if I am thinking and someone calls me I don't hear it, or if I am concentrated on something I am seeing and walking, I don't notice I am bumping into things.
I read some autistics like Donna Williams are like that.. But I wanted to know how common is it in aspies? Do you take lots of sensory at the same time? I read aspies are like that but I am not. Unless it is a really annoying/painful sensory I don't notice it if I am concentrated on something else or taking in other sensory.
just today I was listening to my Japanese cd from the course, then I saw someone sent me a message on my cellphone, then I realized I had to go back the cd because while I shifted my attention to seeing the cellphone I didn't hear anything (it is like the cd was not playing anymore until I realized I had been missing it). Do you understand?

I understand what you are referring to. Although having difficulty with filtering background noise may be true in the majority of aspies, I'm sure it varies from person to person.

Most of the time if there is a lot going on (loud conversations, sounds, lights, etc) it get overwhelming because I'm hearing it all at once and it becomes one big jumbled mess in my mind. But there are many times when my mind locks on something specific and blocks everything else out. For example, if I'm somewhere and someone is speaking to me and there's a song playing in the background, my attention may be drawn just to the music. The person may still keep talking and I'll have no clue what they've just said. I've had to say "Wait, repeat that, I wasn't listening", many times before simply because I'll switch back and forth with what I'm paying attention to.

I assume filtering things out means blocking out noise and you can no longer hear it. I have the opposite problem, I tend to naturally block out things I don't even notice a sound like if I am driving, I may not even hear a fire truck or a police car or an ambulance and by the time I do see it, everyone else has pulled over so obviously they had heard it before me before they saw it and my hearing is tested at normal. That only happens if I am really concentrating on something and I do have to watch the road so it takes all my focus but yet I can still hear anyone talking in my car or my son making noise or hearing the radio.

I also wonder if it means noise tunes out other noise in your ears so any noise that is louder than the other noise, you cannot hear it anymore. I have always called it droning it out. Like I would put in ear plugs and then put in my headphones and blast my music in my ears to drone out anyone's snoring in the room while sleeping. I had no idea people on the spectrum could still hear quieter sounds through louder sounds. If a sound is really low, I can easily tune it out and forget about it being there if I am not thinking about it nor concentrating on it and if there are other noise in the room. That happens with a buzzing light or ticking clocks or a ticking watch or those high pitch sounds TVs make. The sound on them have always tuned out that annoying sound.

When I am walking, I don't even noticed a cyclist behind me until they get way close behind me or say something to me and it takes them more than once to get my attention. I can't notice smaller sounds if I am not listening for it. It's like I tune out too much because I get too into my world and I don't even know I am doing it. That is a problem. It's even hard for me to hearing someone speak with other noise going on like at home if the dishwasher is running and my dad is talking in the other room to me, I tell him I cannot hear him. I hear his voice but not what he is saying because of the dishwasher or TV or whatsoever is on. My husband has the same problem too but his is worse than mine because he couldn't hear me with traffic on the other side of the river and cars on the road around us and I could hear him fine so I had to talk louder or just keep repeating myself until he could process it. This was on the day we met. Oh yeah if I am mining my own business and someone says something to me, they have to repeat themselves. Unless they say my name and get my attention first before saying anything else to me so I have time to change my focus on them.

What you're describing is being focused on something and not noticing environmental signals. That is ackshuly normal for autistic and NT.

From what I am reading here sensory processing differences in autism may include: overload, intensity, fragmented perception, gestalt perception, delayed processing, distorted processing, shutdowns, compensations. This is a page in east Sussex site about sensory issues in autism. It's worth reading!
in another site in autcom.org in shifts and shutdowns they address mono process more directly. "those who are mono can often process with only one sensory mode at a time[...] Processing what they are watching while walking may mean their body arrives in places as if by magic" check! They also cite that if you look at the person you don't pay attention to what they are saying. Check! Also that you can't control facial expressions, intonation, body language, and think what you want to say at the same time. Check!
I am not strictly mono but it happens many times.

What you're describing is likely on continuum of this normally increased focus/decreased sensory that occurs in most people rather than a certain kind of processing that is specific to autism.