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alecazam3567
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06 Jun 2013, 2:39 pm

I've asked a lot of people how on earth they read in a public place, and they always tell me they tune out everyone else. But I seem to have a problem with filtering out background noise. I can't read if someone or something is making noise, like any whatsoever. So I usually can't read if it's not in the peace of my bedroom or a quiet classroom.
Does anyone else have this problem?



Noetic
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06 Jun 2013, 3:04 pm

Earplugs or earphones with monotonous/soothing music



beige37
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06 Jun 2013, 3:47 pm

I can relate. Whenever I try to read in a public setting, I end up terribly frustrated. Every little noise seems to bother me more, and I snap at people around me who are being too loud, in my opinion. I've always struggled with reading and noise, or even talking to someone and balancing out background noises. I can't listen to music while I read, so music through headphones are out of the question. I bet the noise cancelling ear buds would be worth a try, though. They're easy to take with you places, too, so if you wanted to read, you could just put them in. Anyway, I hope you find a solution that works for you.



thechameleon
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06 Jun 2013, 4:18 pm

Not being able to 'block-out' or 'tune out surroundings' is supposed to be one of the common things for AS.
I usually find myself reading in public only to find I have to re-read an entire page as I was too distracted to actually 'process' what I read. Even little things get too distracting when reading for me; neighbors with bass that I can hear = no reading for the day.



chris5000
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06 Jun 2013, 6:36 pm

I love to read but I cant did it around other people I need isolation as other people do things and get distracted then end up reading the same page for hours



techman
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06 Jun 2013, 7:49 pm

when I read in public I put on noise cancelling head phones and play calm music on relatively low volume


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06 Jun 2013, 8:56 pm

Last time I tried to read outside in public, people were throwing a frisbee around. Not a problem until the frisbee regularly skips off the asphalt, creating a distracting sound. I like to read in silence mostly, sometimes I have ocean sounds or forest sounds on low in my headphones.


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daydreamer84
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06 Jun 2013, 9:20 pm

Yes, I spend hours reading each day/night but only at home and I put brown noise http://simplynoise.com/ or music in the background AND read out loud to myself if there's background noise in my house. I like to read at night when my mum's asleep though.



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07 Jun 2013, 9:23 am

I can read if the background noise is continuous but not unpredictable because my brain gets used to it and kind of tunes in to it. But if there's more of an uncertain noise, like a toddler shouting and screaming for example, I become agitated and cannot read, since toddlers always make unpredictable sounds, and is never a soothing sound. Even NTs admit that they can't concentrate on things when there are small children around.


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jamieevren1210
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07 Jun 2013, 9:30 am

It really depends on my mood and condition. I usually am able to tune out noises if I am reading an intriguing book, but not so much if the book is boring, or if I'm having a particularly bad day.
I cannot do the same when listening to people talk, though.
Edit: oh, and I find calm music either hypnotizing or distracting. I don't know why, but Green Day, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi helps me concentrate.
I play that stuff when I go to sleep.


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07 Jun 2013, 9:58 am

I need complete silence if I have to focus (reading, writing).


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persian85033
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07 Jun 2013, 1:03 pm

I love to read, but can't do it in public places with lots of distractions. I have to be in a quiet place, like at home.


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07 Jun 2013, 6:36 pm

Certainly. Silence, or at least primarily grey background noise, is required for me to focus on reading. There can't be any movement in my peripheral view either. I usually can't read in public. Read novels, I mean. I can 'read' of course. I just can't keep from being constantly distracted.



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07 Jun 2013, 6:41 pm

I am able to read when I am at busy family functions and not notice at all, but if I'm at the library and somebody coughs I have a really hard time refocusing... Am I alone with that?


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alecazam3567
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08 Jun 2013, 7:56 am

thechameleon wrote:
Not being able to 'block-out' or 'tune out surroundings' is supposed to be one of the common things for AS.
I usually find myself reading in public only to find I have to re-read an entire page as I was too distracted to actually 'process' what I read. Even little things get too distracting when reading for me; neighbors with bass that I can hear = no reading for the day.

This is exactly how it is for me. The walls in my house are thin, so if my family is watching a movie and I can hear it upstairs, I just can't read and end up rereading everything, so I usually just give up.
That's why I'm amazed when people tell me that they finished a book in an afternoon :P



TommyGun991
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08 Jun 2013, 7:59 am

When I read or study I need absolute silence. Any sound breaks my concentration. And sitting outside and reading seems utterly meaningless to me, why go out when you can comfortably read inside?