When I was growing up, I recall being very sensitive to loud noises, music and basically any sound that was loud.

I remember the time when I was about 5 or so and my mother took me to see Disney's Cinderella when it was being shown in a local theater. I suppose it was part of an anniversary screening event or something. Anyways, I was fine watching it in the theater, up to the point where the Stepsisters began shouting and tearing up Cinderella's dress that her mice friends had made for her. The scene was so loud and frightening to my little self that I cried and buried my face in my mother's shirt.

I also recall other instances of being sensitive to loud noises, especially gun or cannon fire in outdoor plays and reenactments. Where I grew up, there was an outdoor amphitheater nearby that had outdoor plays and often they'd involved prop guns and cannons being fired. That would always bother me, but since they were brief noises, I'd just cover my ears when they occurred, and I'd be fine.

I also had, and still have, great anxiety when balloons pop. If they are very close to a light in a room, or someone is getting ready to pop one, I'll head as fast as I can for the nearest exist. It's because of the loud popping noise.

There are many other occurrences of my sensitivities with loud noises and such. It makes me wonder if anyone else has the same sensitivity I do? My mother and I agree I might be on the Autism Spectrum, albeit at the high functioning end. It would make sense, as sensitivity to loud sounds are often an issue with kids on the spectrum. I've of course, learned to handle my sensitivity to a degree (although balloons still freak me out).

What do you think?