I thought it could be fun/interesting to go through an autism test question by question, and see what resonates with people, and how we approach thinking about the questions. So to start, here’s question 1 of the AQ-10.
1. I often notice small sounds when others do not.
- Definitely Agree
- Slightly Agree
- Slightly Disagree
- Definitely Disagree
Is this statement true for you? Can you think of any examples? Is it an easy or difficult question for you to answer?
You can find the full AQ-10 test here. Note this test is intended as a quick screener, and cannot diagnose or rule out any condition on its own.
Not only will I notice them, but they’ll burrow into my head and cause me so much anguish.
Coil whine from electronics 2 rooms away. Dripping of water from the gutter from a building 20 meters away. Dogs barking in the distance. Fluro tubes at work buzzing or making that ‘tink’ sound when they flicker. Normal people seem to be able to just tune most of this kind of thing out, for me it’s just hell. I’ve gone to insane lengths to stop annoying noises at home.
At home I now wear noise-cancelling headphones most of the time - typically no music or sound playing, just the noise cancelling. They were a game-changer for me. I think they saved my life.
I forgot to answer: ‘Definitely agree’ but if there were an even higher option, I’d pick that.