Please Listen
I got a lot of questions, so here’s an update!
So I have a disorder called Auditory Processing Disorder
For those of you that aren’t aware what that is, it basically means that when I hear things, mostly speech, somewhere in between my ears and my brain it gets messed up. I know that you’ve said something. I know you said it to me. But I honestly have no idea what it was. It just sounded like noises.
Sometimes, I figure out what you’ve said a few seconds later which results in this exchange:
“Hey, did you see what Jamahl said on Facebook yesterday?”
“What?”
“I said did you se--”
“Oh, yeah I did.”
So if you know someone with APD, here are a few things you can do to make our lives easier!
Talk one at a time.
This includes not saying a word when the TV is on. It is inevitable that I will not get 90% of what is being said when two people are talking at the same time, and no, it doesn’t matter how loud the TV is and how quiet you are. Because it’s not volume, it’s that my brain can’t process all of it, and it can’t decide what to listen to, as well as what to tune out. So I end up hearing you whisper to your friend instead of important information.Â
Be patient with me.
Please don’t get angry when I ask you to repeat yourself. I’m listening. I promise. Trust me, I get so tired of not hearing people, that if I actually ask you to repeat yourself, I am genuinely curious. If I’m not, I’ll just awkwardly laugh and nod.
Sometimes I’m in my own world.
Sometimes, when I’m watching TV, or music is playing. I won’t hear you speak to me. It’s not because I’m so engrossed into the TV that I’m ignoring you, it’s because yet again, my brain has completely blocked you out to the point where you’ll probably need to tap my shoulder to get my attention, or yell, but please only do the latter if it’s super important.
Believe me when I say, I know wha APD is more than you do.
It most situations, people (who are decent) are very good at realizing that they don’t know more about disabilities/disorders than people who struggle with them. But for some reason, that goes out the window when it comes to APD.
It is up to the person if they want to classify themselves as Hard of Hearing. I do sometimes, because I don’t feel like reading this Tumblr post to every person I meet, APD isn’t very common knowledge you see. And it makes sense, I mean, sometimes I have a hard time hearing you, don’t I?
It also is someone’s choice if they DON’T want to identify as HoH. Because technically, there’s nothing wrong with our ears. Some peope find that hearing aids help, but they don’t help everyone, because my ears aren’t the problem.Â
Lastly, please remember, this is harder for us than you. You have had to repeat yourself a few times to me. I have had to ask someone to repeat themselves countless times today, let alone in my lifetime. You are encountering a person with APD. I am the person with APD. Thank you and goodnight.