Sensory Overload and Aspergers: What Heavy Metal Music Fans Need to

Many people with Aspergers Syndrome find themselves drawn to heavy metal music. However, the loud sounds and chaotic energy of a metal concert can be overwhelming for someone with sensory issues. Here are some tips for surviving a metal show while keeping your cool.

Introduction

People with Asperger’s syndrome are often highly sensitive to sound, and some may find certain types of music particularly overwhelming. Heavy metal music is often cited as being particularly difficult for people with Aspergers to listen to, due to its loud, discordant sound.

If you are a heavy metal fan with Aspergers, there are a few things you can do to try and make listening to your favorite music more tolerable. Firstly, you may want to try wearing earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones. This can help to reduce the overall level of noise that you are exposed to, making it less overwhelming.

You may also want to try listening to music at a lower volume than usual. This can help your brain toadapt to the sound and make it less overwhelming. If you find that even low volumes are too much for you, you may want to try listening to music for shorter periods of time, or taking regular breaks in between listens.

Finally, it is important to remember that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. If you find that none of the above strategies are helpful, then it is important not to force yourself to listen to music that causes you distress. There are many other genres of music out there that may be more suitable for you.

What is Aspergers?

Asperger’s syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger’s syndrome have difficulties with social interaction and communication. They may also have repetitive behaviors or interests. Asperger’s syndrome is considered to be on the “high functioning” end of the autism spectrum.

People with Asperger’s syndrome may be very interested in a particular subject, such as music, history, or science. They may talk a lot about their favorite subject. They may have difficulty understanding and responding to other people’s emotions. And they may not pick up on social cues, such as not knowing when it’s time to stop talking.

Most people with Asperger’s syndrome function well in school and at work. But they may have difficulty in social situations. Many people with Asperger’s syndrome are relatively shy and prefer to spend time with people they know well, rather than large groups of people. Some people with Asperger’s syndrome become overwhelmed by sensory input, such as loud noises or bright lights.

What is Sensory Overload?

Sensory Overload is a condition where one or more of the senses are overloaded with Stimuli. This can happen due to a sudden increase in Stimuli, or an accumulation of Stimuli over time. For example, being in a loud and busy environment like a shopping centre during the Christmas period can cause Sensory Overload. Sensory Overload can also be caused by certain medical conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), making it difficult to cope with everyday sensory input.

There are four main types of sense: sight, sound, touch and smell. Sensory Overload can affect any combination of these senses, but is most commonly associated with sound and sight. People who experience Sensory Overload may feel disoriented, dizzy, anxious or even nauseous. In extreme cases, it can lead to a panic attack or feeling of being disconnected from reality (dissociation).

Sensory Overload is often experienced by people with ASD as their brains find it difficult to process and make sense of the barrage of sensory input they are constantly bombarded with. This difficulty in processing information can lead to sensory overload and shutdown.

There are a number of strategies that can help to reduce the effects of Sensory Overload, including: noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, sunglasses and earplugs.

How can Aspergers be a Sensory Overload Disorder?

Most people with Aspergers feel that they are misunderstood and tend to struggle in social situations. One of the key symptoms of Aspergers is Sensory Overload. This can manifest itself in many ways, but the common thread is that the person with Aspergers is unable to filter out certain stimulus and as a result, feels overwhelmed.

There are many different types of sensory overload, but some of the more common ones include:

-Visual: This can be things like flashing lights or patterns that are overwhelming to look at. For some people, it can also be problems with depth perception or movement that makes it hard to focus on anything.
-Auditory: This can be loud noises or certain types of music that is jarring or overwhelming. It can also be problems with processing information such as following a conversation when there is background noise.
-Tactile: This can be things like being unable to tolerate certain fabrics against the skin or feeling overwhelmed by being touched.
-Olfactory: This can be sensitivities to strong smells or an inability to tolerate certain smells.
-Gustatory: This can be sensitivities to certain tastes or an aversion to certain foods.

There are many different ways that Aspergers can be a Sensory Overload Disorder, but the common thread is that it makes it hard for the person with Aspergers to filter out certain stimulus and as a result, feels overwhelmed.

What is Heavy Metal Music?

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.

In 1970, four pioneering bands—Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep—often cited as the “mothers of heavy metal”[1][2]—produced albums that define the genre. In the following decade, Judas Priest helped spur the genre’s evolution by discarding much of its blues influence; Motörhead introduced a punk rock sensibility and an increasing emphasis on speed. Bands such as Diamond Head[3], Iron Maiden[4] and Def Leppard[5] followed in a similar vein.

During the 1980s, Hollywood movies like Howard the Duck (1986), think Airplane! (1980) with Mötley Crüe’s “Looks That Kill” as its soundtrack,[6] took spoofed the genre; hair bands such as Poison[7], Cinderella[8] and Warrant[9] achieved widespread commercial success; popularizer Ozzy Osbourne retained his position as one of music’s most controversial figures; pop singer Madonna included “Into the Groove”, with its heavy-metal-phone dialing sound effect,[10][11] on Like a Virgin (1984); Metallica rose to international fame with their third album Master of Puppets (1986); Slayer became one of thrash metal’s “Big Four” with their 1986 release Reign in Blood; Megadeth and Anthrax achieved commercial success with their mid-career releases So Far, So Good… So What! (1988) and Among the Living (1987), respectively; while Alice In Chains arose from the grunge movement with their album Facelift (1990).[12][13][14].

In 1991, Seattle band Soundgarden reached number one on Billboard magazine’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for seven weeks with their song “Black Hole Sun”.[15] In 1992 Stone Temple Pilots released Core which debuted at number one on Billboard 200.[16] During 1992 Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power album debuted at number two on Billboard 200.[17] In 1993 Alice in Chains released Dirt which debuted at number two.[18][19][20] By 1995 Marilyn Manson had captured media attention with his shock rock persona.[21][22].

How can Heavy Metal Music Help With Aspergers?

Heavy metal music can help people with Aspergers deal with sensory overload. The music is often loud and chaotic, which can help to “drown out” the overstimulation that many people with Aspergers feel. In addition, the lyrics of some heavy metal songs can help people with Aspergers to express their anger and frustration in a positive way.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading this guide on sensory overload and Aspergers. We hope that it has been informative and helpful for you. While heavy metal music fans may be used to loud noises and chaotic environments, it is important to remember that everyone experiences sensory overload differently. If you find yourself in a situation where you are feeling overwhelmed, try to find a quiet place to relax and take some deep breaths. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to a professional for help.