I Learned Something New Today

I have Background Noise Problem aka Cocktail Party Syndrome. When I am in a really crowded noisy restaurant, at a concert or just the TV/stereo volume is high, I have a really hard time understanding what any one is saying even if they are right next to me. I thought I was partially deaf but my hearing is fine. I can hear the sounds I just have a hard time tuning out the stuff I don't want to hear. Supposedly it effects about 20% of people regardless of age.

Incidentally, my hearing is excellent and better than most people my age.

Anyone else hear like me?

This is most likely me and my mother. Though, we just call it a "Problem with Noise". We can both hear a gnat poot across the room, and when it comes to loud noises, we can not tolerate it or tune it out. We most likely have Misophonia as well. Lucky lucky!

I have that problem, and I really dislike loud parties/restaurants/wherever because of it. I can't hear what people say, and have to ask "what?" a million times. It can be so bad I'll just smile and nod even though I don't have a clue what they are saying (probably makes me look clueless as a result). On hearing tests I score above average, so much so I often wonder if I'm really hearing the super low/high pitched sounds I think I'm hearing. (Turns out I am, and those are the sounds just outside the "average".)

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Originally Posted by aldebono

This is most likely me and my mother. Though, we just call it a "Problem with Noise". We can both hear a gnat poot across the room, and when it comes to loud noises, we can not tolerate it or tune it out. We most likely have Misophonia as well. Lucky lucky!

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I had to look up misophonia, but that sure sounds familiar!!! Certain sounds, especially the really deep bass you can feel but not necessarily hear, really gets to me. Immediate physical discomfort, and negative emotional feelings (especially anger). I can't stand it, I just want to get far far away from it.

I feel like I have a similar issue. I pass hearing tests flawlessly.
However, when people are talking to me, I have difficulty understanding them. Even when we're talking one on one. I always have to politely ask the speaker to repeat what they say constantly.

For a while I thought I was going deaf, but nope. That's not it...

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I feel like I have a similar issue. I pass hearing tests flawlessly.
However, when people are talking to me, I have difficulty understanding them. Even when we're talking one on one. I always have to politely ask the speaker to repeat what they say constantly.

For a while I thought I was going deaf, but nope. That's not it...

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Is this just with people you are unfamiliar with? I have this happen when I have not spoken to the person enough and haven't adjusted to their tone of voice almost. Familiar people I am fine with.

What sends me off the deep end is water dripping. Or water in a fish tank is too low and its trickling. I WILL find the noise and I WILL make it stop...
Dogs licking their feet or just obsessively licking in general, Oh man look out.

I know I am not going deaf. I could hear empty rat water bottles two rooms away and through closed doors. I could hear my quietest frogs call in their glass aquariums with the TV on loud. I could hear my opossum waking up on the floor behind me with the TV on loud.

Yea. I feel like i might have this too.

If i'm watching tv i can hear it fine. If i'm watching tv and people are in the room talking, i have to put subtitles on.

If i'm talking to someone i'm fine. If i'm talking to someone and the tv's on or other people are talking in the background i can't hear them.

I just assumed i was going deaf from listening to music too loudly. :D

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Originally Posted by aldebono

Is this just with people you are unfamiliar with? I have this happen when I have not spoken to the person enough and haven't adjusted to their tone of voice almost. Familiar people I am fine with.

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Yes and no.
It happens with certain familiar people too.

I was born here in the US. English is my first language.
But now that I'm really thinking about it, I can understand people better if they have an "Asian fresh off the boat" accent when they speak English.
Like, I am constantly asking my American born boyfriend to repeat what he says. He speaks very clear English.
But I never have to ask my parents, who are immigrants, what they just said in English even though no one else knows what the heck they said.

no known hearing issues but a lot of the time the wife thinks i am deaf or tuning her out. ( do hear at times the high pitch(old crt) whine of the tv that no one else does and it drive me batty
i have a real issue with CRS a lot of the time. it why idf you send me to the store for more than 3 items write a list. There have been times i go down/upstairs for something only to forget what it was.
I do have a bad habit of forgetting to eat if i ma working on something ( totally into it) I get yelled at it a lot too. I look at my self and say yeah missing a meal or 4 won't hurt me lol

I don't have it or not that I've ever been aware of. I guess it's good that you found out, although it's not the best news I'd imagine.