[CosmicRose]

This happens rarely, but enough for me to notice it. Sometimes when someone is talking to me (not family, usually a coworker or customer or a random stranger on the street, someone at the grocery store, etc) their words will go right over my head and I find myself focusing more on HOW they're saying whatever they're saying, what their body language is, how their facial expressions are - it's like I'm taking in how they're feeling behind what they're saying more than what they're actually saying with their words.
This usually only happens if I'm already feeling nervous or anxious or uncomfortable.
For example - A few years ago, on my first day as a kindergarten teacher's assistant, the teacher asked me to go up to the front of the class and sit next to her, while all the kids were looking at us she began to ask me a question and instead of grasping her words I focused more on her tone, her facial expression, etc...and actually had to say "Sorry what, can you repeat that?"
She paused and seemed slightly puzzled, and repeated her question.
There's nothing wrong with my hearing. Sometimes whatever their saying just goes over my head while I'm concentrating more on the subtler aspects of communication.
I'm not autistic or anything, I only have an anxiety disorder.
Does anyone else experience this sometimes?

[Travelinglady]

Yes, I know what you mean. It's like we are so concerned with how they are responding to us, because of our anxiety.

[RedEagle]

I do that constantly as well, although usually I'm analyzing what people are saying and how it refers to me in some way.

[Generic_username123]

I know what you mean. I think I can sometimes come across as having aspergers or something because I am sometimes a bit puzzled when someone says something to me.

Something like 85% of communication is actually body language, it's just when you're anxious you get mental fog so you can't multi-task in a way and hear what they're saying as well because you're reading too much into their body language.

[Blues47]

I've done that for most of my life. My best friend in high school learned to recognize it and would snap his fingers in front of my face and say 'pay attention'. I think lately I've gotten a little better at catching the zone-outs myself before they go to far.

[Kalalala]

I do that too! I often find myself worrying about what my response is going to be rather than listening to what they're saying and I'll be so intent trying to listen that I just go blank and watch their lips move... makes for great conversation!

[SecondSkin]

Ya, it happens to me too. For me, the words get jumbled and I have a hard time parsing their sounds. I know they're talking directly to me, but my brain just can't focus on the words. A couple of friends just think it's hilarious when I try to repeat what I think I heard. It rarely happens one on one, but in a group or public setting, I have to really concentrate and not let the nerves take over.
There was one time where I was in the audience for a live show. The guest celebrity was the lead singer for a big rock band. He announced the winner of some tickets to his show (me) and I lost it. I honestly don't remember getting up, getting the tickets from his hand, shaking his hand, and mumbling something totally unintelligible. Live TV, and my brain disappeared. I laugh at that memory now, but boy was I mortified.

[Bipolartist]

I do this all the time too and it's pretty severe at time and it causes me a lot of anxiety after the fact. I'll zone out into my own thoughts while someone is talking to me and I'll think about really horrible things to worry about and to just upset myself. Sometimes in the middle of it, they'll ask me a question and I'll be embarrassed to ask them what they just said, so I'll just answer some random answer or say yes or no, even though I have no idea what the question was.

I'm afraid I'll blurt out the wrong answer or say something that isn't true one of these days, or start mumbling my crazy thoughts out loud and look insane. Then I worry later if I did that. I try really hard to keep reminding myself, "You're zoning out, NO! Get back into the moment. Turn off your brain and pay close attention to what they're saying."