Going from calm quiet environment into a busy one

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I don't usually have a massive problem with this, I get my head down, I always have a plan for where I am heading etc. Yesterday though I went from a nice quiet drive to attending my daughters school for parents evening. I walked in and the school hall was full of parents, chatter, noise, lights etc. I was straight in to see the teacher and just couldn't listen to what was being said. the background noise was too much, I was too anxious and flustered, spent 10 minutes not really looking at her and not hearing what she said.

anyone else?

Maybe high fidelity earplugs used by musicians would help with the excess noise? For me, they really make a difference when watching action movies at the theater.

I also tend to find it difficult to listen to one particular person speaking, if it is accompanied by a sea of other voices; I find it is almost reflexive to just zone out entirely to deal with the noise.

I haven't thought about special ear plugs to filter out excess noise, seems like a good idea to try.

I happen to find this, as far as Hi-Fi noise filtering ear plugs are concerned; for anyone interested. http://www.discovervibes.com/for-autism ... -disorders

Yes, I'm the same way. My brain has to adjust to more chaotic or loud environments, just like the average person's eyes have to adjust to bright light after being in the dark. Something that I've found helps is to keep background noise going during car rides - music or podcasts, for example. Your can also make use of the ride by slowly increasing the amount of sensory input you're dealing with. That way, you don't overwhelm or shock your brain by suddenly jumping into the chaos. It's also a good idea to spend the car ride back with some kind of white noise. I've found that this can ease my mind after prolonged sensory exposure, reducing my chances of dealing with burnout. Be warned, though, that I've found this latter method puts me deeper into shutdowns. It might not be safe if you're the driver.