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by h4waii 1598 days ago
Might it be misophonia?

Might be if you have what seems like an extreme over-reaction to outsiders or haven't realized you may have Misophonia and can't figure out why you're feeling tension or "anxiety" for no apparent reason.
2 comments
Freak_NL 1598 days ago
Misophonia is based in a severe dislike of very specific sorts of sounds (like chewing or swallowing), not a general cacophony. There may be overlap, but people with misophonia are usually quite conscious of the sounds they cannot stand.
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enobrev 1598 days ago
I have both - well, I believe I do, as I've never had APD diagnosed. But I agree they are extremely different.

I actually really enjoy the sound of a crowded room. I used to be a DJ and party organizer and a room full of happy people is a peaceful and delightful sound to me ( much unlike mouth sounds, and pouring liquids and plenty others ).

Still, picking out a single voice from a crowd is incredibly difficult for me. That wasn't always the case. I believe it started in my late 20s, which is interesting because I'd noticed around then that crowded rooms started to sound different for me. The hum of the room was more distinct.

My wife has a very distinct voice that I can easily pick out in a crowd and I sometimes wonder if that was an unknown part of the initial attraction. At the very least we can still go out and have a conversation in loud public places, which is something I can't do very well with many other people.

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h4waii 1598 days ago
Agreed they are likely aware that there are sounds they can't stand, but they might not know why, and it can be difficult not knowing why.
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anonymousiam 1598 days ago
I should have clarified. I'm at ease in loud environments (bars, rock concerts, shooting ranges), but I get overwhelmed trying to understand what nearby people are saying. It's not a social anxiety issue, but something about my auditory processing. I have no trouble picking out a weak CW signal in a noisy HF environment, or listening to SSB phone on a crowded channel. It's a "saturation" issue. If the noise is loud enough, it overwhelms my ability to track the quieter sounds, and I get stressed out when trying to do so.
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