Part of coming back from the abyss that has been so difficult for me is this new thing, that I’m told is common after head injuries, strokes, blood loss, high fever, basically a LOT, is something called Auditory Processing difficulties, and I’ve since learned thats also something ADHD-ers and Autism sufferers sometimes experience it as well. I will say for me, this mainly presents as I can look at you talking and forget what you are saying before you are even done saying it. Now a lot of times, I’ll ask a question to be 100% clear that I understood it, and you will get irritated thinking I wasnt paying attention, but its as if its just on a delay, my brain IS listening and it knows something important is being said, it just takes a minute to translate it to English from Galifreyan (Dr Who reference for nerds like me but if you are unfamiliar substitute any alien language). Its annoying to me just as much as it is to the person I am talking to, maybe more so for me because I know I’m not dumb so why do I need to be talked to like I’m 12 for me to process it?

So what are Auditory Processing difficulties? Auditory processing difficulties are like having trouble with how your brain understands and makes sense of the things you hear, even though your ears work fine. It’s sort of like trying to listen to someone talk when there’s a lot of background noise – it can be hard to pick out the words and understand what’s being said. People with auditory processing issues might struggle to follow conversations, remember spoken instructions, or tell the difference between similar sounds. These difficulties can make it challenging to learn, communicate, and engage in everyday activities that involve listening.

Imagine you’re in a noisy restaurant, and your friend is telling you a story. While you can hear their voice just fine, the background noise makes it incredibly challenging to follow the narrative. You keep missing crucial details or misinterpreting what they’re saying, even though you’re trying your best to focus. This is similar to the experience of someone with AP issues, where filtering out background noise and isolating the important sounds is a constant struggle.

Another example could be trying to follow a set of verbal instructions. Let’s say someone tells you, “First, take the blue folder from the cabinet, then make three copies of the document inside, and finally, staple them together.” For someone with AP issues, the order of these steps might get jumbled in their brain, leading them to make copies first, then retrieve the folder, and potentially forget the stapling part altogether.

Auditory memory is also affected in AP issues, making it challenging to remember things that were said, even just moments ago. This can be particularly problematic in classroom settings, where a student with AP issues might struggle to recall the teacher’s instructions or retain information from lectures or discussions.

In some cases, AP issues can also impact language development and comprehension. A child with problems with AP might have trouble learning nursery rhymes, songs, or even their own name, as the sounds and syllables get jumbled in their brain. This can lead to delays in speech and language acquisition, as well as difficulties with reading and writing later on.

It’s important to note that we are not talking about a hearing impairment and its important to get everything checked out when you start to notice these issues as they CAN be indicative of other more serious problem, or a neurological condition that affects how the brain processes and interprets auditory information. While there is no cure for AP issues, early intervention and specialized therapies can help individuals develop strategies to manage their symptoms and improve their auditory processing abilities.

There are some tips that can help this be more manageable:
1. Minimize background noise and improve acoustics
2. Use visual aids and cues  NOTES ARE MY BEST FRIENDS, I am never without a pen.
3. Use a recorder- even a notes app on your phone will work.
4. Always check that you are understanding and being understood. Its easiest to ask and repeat it to yourself
5. Know your weaknesses, if this is one of them, being upfront with save everyone headaches when you find something that works for everyone involved.

Be patient and supportive guys, believe me, most of the time these people are more frustrated with themselves than you are. You never know, this is incredibly hard to deal with if someone is struggling with it and then aware that everyone is getting irritated at the clarifying questions, the person won’t ask the questions, shit will get done wrong, and everyone suffers. Til next time gang, take care of yourself, and each other!