Sensitivity to loud sounds and noises?

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?

Loud noises seems to take away my perception of what to expect of my surroundings, and putting me somewhere uncomfortable where I don't understand what's going on stopping me from quickly adapting to the situation.

I'm really need to concentrate in unfamiliar settings.... especially with my PD, so I really need to have my wits about me (my **** together) or I'm pretty vulnerable to my self.

Sudden loud noises really bother me too. They make me jump. Even if I'm expecting them. And I'm with you on the balloon popping thing. I'm useless at decorating for parties, because I won't blow up balloons for fear of one accidentally popping in my face. I've been known to cover my head and scream if one pops near me. sensitive? just a tad.

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Sensory overloads of one kind or another are definitely common among autistic people, but that does not mean everyone bothered by certain sounds might be on the spectrum. If you wish, maybe look around a bit at WrongPlanet.net to see what other symptoms of autism you might be experiencing. There is where I finally learned about myself as an Aspie at age 59.

I have sensitive hearing and I have grown to really hate certain sounds. I also become anxious before I know it's going to happen. Sometimes noises make me rage or cry. I have Asperger syndrome and I have post traumatic stress disorder. Either one of these conditions can contribute to the being startled and sensitivity to loud noise.

Anxiety medication has helped me to tolerate loud noises better, and I have more peacefulness now because of it. People don't realize how horrible it is to live with sensitive hearing. I feel for you. Sorry you're going through this.

Oh yeah, I do the exact same thing when a balloon pops near me, scream and cover my head, even going as far as running from the room, as if a grenade was being thrown at me or something. I also won't blow balloons up either and for the exact same reason.

Pop resistant or pop proof balloons would be a godsend for folks like us, wouldn't it?

Thanks Lee. I like the name that site chose to use. Aspies often describe their perception of the world as if they were visiting a planet almost identical to Earth, but with differences in it that they don't seem to understand because they aren't native to the planet. What is ordinary and mundane to the inhabitants, may seem silly and overly amusing to an Aspie.

Communicating is also hard because they feel that the inhabitants speak too loudly, or perhaps the words and phrases they use are strange and alien to the Aspie and vise versa.

Apsies often focus in on one thing in the world, one thing they really like and that brings them comfort and solace as they learn and explore the strange world. It may even help to somewhat bridge the gap between the Aspie and the inhabitants.

Yeah, I like this analogy, because it helps me to better understand not only my Aspie cousin, but myself as well.

If you already knew all of that, then why did you initially mention just one symptom while asking the general public what they think about you and your mother thinking you might be on the spectrum?

Artchic, I would really refrain from self-diagnosing yourself autistic or on the autism spectrum. You need to see a doctor if you truly think that's the case.

Loud sounds bother me, too. If they're short, I might cover my ears and be fine when it's over. Sirens and continuously loud sounds can trigger a panic attack,especially if I can't get away from the sound.

Balloons popping used to be a big fear of mine, and I didn't understand how some people enjoyed popping them. However, I did get over that one.

It isn't so much the volume of the sound as it is the source of the sound. Natural sounds seem to be okay. It is man made noise that I find so very irritating and difficult. For instance, the restaurant across the street uses a leaf blower for over an hour each morning. The sound is horribly invasive and all the more irritating when you consider a broom would do the same job of sweeping their patio. Right now I am listening to a gasoline powered weed-whacker. Ugh.

I can relate to this somewhat. I am hypersensitive to certain sound frequencies.

I can hear some things loud such as music but other sounds, such as hearing an infant scream or cry loudly, hearing a car horn honk loudly, hearing police sirens, somebody knocking loudly on my door, or having somebody talk loudly close to me or yell at me I find triggering and agitating.

With that being said, I don't think having sensitivity to loud noises particularly means that you have autism. I think there could be other possible reasons. Then again, it's always best to consult a mental health professional to be sure.

Personally though, I think Autism and Asperger's is thrown around way too liberally as a diagnosis, particularly with children. Just because somebody has some behaviors or personality traits that differ from the norm or is a bit more introverted or socially awkward than usual or has a higher IQ than most people doesn't mean they're autistic.

I'm very sensitive to any sensory stimuli, not only noises. I do usually cover my ears when I hear something like sirens or whatever much louder than usual, because it almost hurts physically. Also maybe it depeds on the frequency as well. Or if I don't cover my ears I cannot focus on anything else anymore.
That means also that on the other end, I notice things, sounds, etc that people don't notice. This can viewed as good or bad, depending...But I think it's mostly genetic, some people are more sensitive, it doesn't have to be pathological by itself I think...
Also I think it can come from some childhood trauma, but in that case it would be very specific, I don't know, just my opinion...

I am very sensitive to sound as well. Hyper-sensitive is actually what the doctor in Audiology dx'd me with. It is hyperacusis. I need to gently ease my ears into "normal" sound levels through ear exercises. She highly discouraged me from wearing earphones or earbuds all of the time, as it will only make my sensitivity stronger. *sigh*

Here's a link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...2sKhAeGIX7KJTQ