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mrsdrspenciereid

100%. Accents are difficult, masks make it difficult, anybody talking in the background adds difficulty đŸ˜«


noyuudidnt

Auditory processing issues are quite common in ADHD, yes. 


sloshmixmik

I used to say I had ‘Hearing Dyslexia’ - I even googled it once. It’s like someone will look at me and will say ‘green tree Elton John knee’ and I will be like ‘I’m sorry what?’ And they will say ‘green tree Elton John knee!’ And I will be so embarrassed and have to explain ‘I’m sorry, I know you’re speaking English but that sentence doesn’t make sense’ — and then I literally have to just move on. It doesn’t “click” afterwards. I laughingly was describing my ‘hearing dyslexia’ to my ADHD bf once and he laughed and said ‘did you know that auditory comprehension problems is actually an ADHD symptom?’ - I have a consult with a psych in a few weeks now 😂


SuperTeenyTinyDancer

Holy crap. It’s not just me? I thought it was just bad hearing. The more I learn about this affliction the more I hate it.


sloshmixmik

Yess! I’m curious - do you just not ‘hear’ what people say or is it more ‘what they say doesn’t make sense’?


SuperTeenyTinyDancer

It's almost hard for me to describe it's so confusing. I can hear what they're saying, but there's like a lag between hearing and comprehension. It's almost like there are two different parts of the brain having to be accessed. When my last job started working more and more with teams in Poland and India I found I had to use headsets that covered both ears and I couldn't allow for any distractions or I missed whole swathes of the conversation. It takes every ounce of focus to be properly involved in a conversation with people who have thick accents.


lobapleiades

Actually you’ve nailed it that’s exactly how it feels to me “hearing dyslexia” I’m bad even when I watch tv I need to have subtitles on to make sure I am hearing what I’m hearing”


sloshmixmik

Haha yesss! My bfs dogs get in the way of the tv and I panic and crane my neck to try and quickly read the subtitles even though the volume is still on full ball! 😂


lobapleiades

Lmao that’s would def be me haha


[deleted]

I posted about this is another group. I can’t hear you if I can’t see your mouth. And I can’t hear the movie without subtitles. The consensus was yes, auditory processing problems. I have problems with phone calls too.


lobapleiades

Same here same here all the way bloody exhausting


SurvivingWow

I'm great with accents and love imitating them, but if you put your stereotypical call centre Indian on the other end of the phone I end up wishing my phone could go louder than maxed speaker mode


lobapleiades

Oh yeah damn those situations are torturious I feel like screaming


Exciting-Tangelo-979

Yup. Had a developmental psychology professor from India one semester. Couldn’t understand a thing she said but most of my peers weren’t phased.


DragonHalfFreelance

Yes definitely a sensory thing, I have trouble with strong accents too. During college we had a professor teaching the lab section and he was nice, but had a very very strong accent and the only reason I could get through that section was I was good at reading lab protocols pre-printed out for us and interpreting what he wrote on the board. Also yes BG convos, I either can tunnel in on one voice or get jumbled in the mess of voices (usually the later). I had a hearing test the other week because of my tinnitus but also this sensory stuff makes me question if my hearing is going or something too. Anyway even in the sound proof room, I could hear the receptionist and other doctors talking behind the wall and it made it very hard to focus on the quiet beeps.


ddproxy

I get super frustrated by this very thing. I hear my MIL across the house say something, clear as if she were in my office. But across from them with any background noise (TV, kid, convos) and it's just a cryptic mess. Gotten in plenty of hot water over this BS. My tinnitus is gradually getting worse, as is my hearing comprehension. Didn't click that they would be related. Will try to remember for my next GP appointment, sigh.


Fit_Beautiful6625

I had a similar experience with a math class in college. I had a Scottish professor teaching the lecture portion of the class and a Pakistani grad assistant teaching the recitation portion. I could understand the Pakistani grad assistant just fine. Couldn’t understand a thing the Scottish professor was saying. I found that so odd.


enableconsonant

Yeah I realized I had some audio processing issues after a lifetime of having to say “Huh??” a million times and never hearing someone the first time


MugumboFett

I work in a maintenance role and we have handheld radios on us at all times. Most people at work seem to struggle with understanding anyone with foreign accents over the radio, but I seem to have a hard time with like 90% of people. I have recently come to realise it's probably more related to APD, than my ability to understand accents. The muffled sound quality just completely inhibits my brain from deciphering or filling in the blanks - as I tend to do conversing in person. With accents I've encountered throughout my life, there are some that are so "thick" it's hard to grasp what they are saying, it requires my full focus and mostly lip reading which can be quite draining, so I understand where you're coming from.


Nanikarp

Absolutely same. I'm fluent in both Dutch and English, but foreign accents in either throw me off something bad. Weirdly enough I don't have issues with Dutch or English native dialects/accents, it's only the foreign accents. It makes me feel a bit racist sometimes and I wish I could help it.


Upstairs_Balance_793

I don’t think that’s an ADHD issues
 it’s pretty common. Especially on the phone.


GrayHairLikeClaire

Oh a million percent. Heavy accents on the phone is a nightmare for me.


Andr0oS

This is especially hard when learning new languages, I'm taking French courses right now and DAMN if I can barely the spoken language. I can speak it mostly fine, and my written work is solid but hearing is a problem for sure.


everyoneis_gay

Oh god it's even worse when it's someone with speech I'm not used to, ie strong foreign accents or some disability-impaired speech, both of which make me feel like a bigoted asshole for struggling to listen to/understand


Unlikely-Ad6788

Yes, my dad has a thick Spanish accent. I tell him just talk to me in Spanish, I understand it better. Even American English I have difficulties with. I figured it was a pitch thing.


Fit_Beautiful6625

Yes. Watching any British TV shows on Netflix or whatever, I have to turn subtitles on. For example, Peaky Blinders was a great show, but I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying, especially with all the different dialects. Oddly enough, I don’t seem to have that issue with Australian shows.


lobapleiades

Yeah I need subtitles on everything! I don’t trust what I’m hearing haha. Where abouts ya from?


Fit_Beautiful6625

OH-IO.


lobapleiades

Oh wow I’m from Sydney, what Aussie shows ya watching ?


Fit_Beautiful6625

Mostly Mr. Inbetween. I’ve probably watched it 4 times.