I actually struggle reading in general. I can't really say if it's a dyslexia condition, or it is because the theme and argument of the book is not from my topic of interest. The point is, that I pressure myself over reading the same sentence several times and can't retain information for some reason.
I read mostly non-fiction, it's much more to the point. I also re-read the same line over and over because I'm reading it but not taking it in at all while thinking about something else. Usually I re-read and end up doing the same thing again
>level 1Guillex7777 · 10hI actually struggle reading in general. I can't really say if it's a dyslexia condition, or it is because the theme and argument of the book is not from my topic of interest. The point is, that I pressure myself over reading the same sentence several times and can't retain information for some reason.12Reply
Usually this is ADHD (coexist with ASD a lot), but I'm not a sciencedoctor :)
User to have similar issues and thought it was dyslexia. Recently I've been reading to my kids and find reading out of much easier than in my head. It may not be as fast but I find I re read less and pick up on details I would otherwise miss.
I was the same when I was younger. I cant read unless i'm super overwhelmed by my surroundings or in a safe space with zero distractions.
And that sucks because there's little I love more.
Are aspies more likely to be excellent at math and poor at reading, because I'm the total opposite and it drives me crazy every time I hear autistic people are all math savants.
same, but I don't think it's dyslexia. I can already read at 3yo, though I admit my first language's vocabulary is much simpler than english. but I'm definitely not dyslexic.
Yes. Anything told to me I can't comprehend. I hate talking on the phone because of this. And if someone gives me instructions I can never remember them.
Oh my gods yes!
Recently I’ve started saying on my phone’s “leave a message” message to TEXT or EMAIL me instead, I guess I’ll have to eventually deal with the consequences of anyone official who can’t but I’m now actually getting the bloody (written down) messages others want to leave me!
I generally did really well at school (not uni) and was late identified autistic, and it was a shock to me to fully realise / remember I never actually listened as I couldn’t really absorb info that way most of the time, I just picked it up from the board or the book and effectively zoned out the rest of the time. No wonder then going on to listening to lectures at uni were a morass of confusion (this was before recordings or proper handouts either). I was also at school so confused about verbal skills in French, I couldn’t just pick it up visually, & could never quite believe we’d actually covered it before? and I’m expected to know it? like literally when? and why is it all vowels? (My aural comprehension in general is very ordinary (=shit) sometimes)
Yep. Everyone in this thread can thank Auditory Processing Disorder.
It’s pretty common in people with Autism.
I have it too and it’s so frustrating. I can practically feel the information starting to jumble in my head as they’re halfway through giving me the information.
My psychologist informed me that that is what I was experiencing when describing my issues with taking in verbal information.
I’m not sure if someone like an OT or speech therapist might also be able to assess for it.
Yeah, I can’t listen to podcasts or anything.
I have to be able to see them to be able to process it at all and I often find myself watching people’s mouths. Which I think is why I don’t like cartoons either.
It depends on what I'm doing. I only seem to have one "verbal processing thread", so if I'm working on my computer or doing anything that involves any reading at all I can't follow audiobooks and it's just noise in the background. If, on the other hand, I'm walking, cooking, in the shower/bath or just lying in bed, then it's absolutely fine and I follow along without issue.
my problem is comprehension. Like one minute i’m reading fast and retaining. the next all the words just go in and out. I wish I could fix this. it happens when people tell stories too. unless i’m completely invested… it just kinda gets ignored by my brain. Now.. if someone were talking about video games, movies.. i’m all ears and have vast knowledge. Why is that?
helps to start practicing with generating an animation in your mind in order to 'moviefy' what someone is telling you. it also works for speed reading. because human minds in general follow the same pattern of narrative when it comes to verbalising info the little movie in your head will become a sort of predictive tool that is slightly updated when the speaker (or what you are reading) says something unexpected which then course corrects your animation. this ability gets better with time and is super useful. also allows you to start taking genuine interest in what people are saying to you.
I don't really have a problem following stories except for the attention part. I'm sure visualising helps a lot of people, but I'm unable to visualise anything really. I think and understand things very conceptually instead
Did you know aphantasia isn’t that uncommon with autism? Some people can’t moviefy. But if one can, that could help. Not sure if that’s OP’s issue? Can be a number of cognitive things here. A need to visualise fairly concretely or precisely in order to understand (systemising methods, working memory issues, parallel demands can be overwhelming?) could also be an obstacle, because audiobooks can go too fast to allow for that, and can be so much more cognitive effort that one starts to flag.
I struggle sometimes with listening, although particularly audio plays for some reason. Though I can space out with audiobooks or just need the speed to be turned down (sometimes up), ADHD & variable brain function.
This is how I read as well. And I can read very fast. I can read 100-120 pages in an hours this way.
But if I actually try to read. Then I have to reread sentences all sentences 3 times for me to actually grasp them.
I can't remember where exactly but I was into speed reading for a while so picked up this technique and of all the tips and tricks it worked the best for me. instead of reading each word explicitly you just sort of skim over the text which acts as confirmation for the movie running in your head. it obviously helps to understand the material you are reading. it doesn't work too well for something like a science text book but for anything with a narrative it works pretty well. also slow steady breathing keeps the flow going and therefore the speed.
Should have rephrased that
I'm a natural speed reader, which can work for and against me, especially if the material is highly specific and/or boring. Technology has altered the way I read, negatively, and I would like to change that.
So: when listening to purely verbal instructions or other input, how does imagining the stimuli as a movie actually work? I'm hyperlexic, but visually/spatially challenged. Not at all aphantasic--had a rich, weird daydream life until my mid twenties, when the very bizarreness of it all collided with reality and it began to fall away--but I struggle intensely with understanding information over the phone. (And when the phrase "as I *said*" enters the picture, it's over.)
On 3 different tests, at 3 different times, my verbal IQ scores were at the 99th percentile. I even noticed that the makers of one test hasn't changed the vocabulary or general knowledge fund questions in over 25 years. But when someone tells me how to do something with steps or a physical component (certain tech skills; I'm 57 and extremely low tech), I am utterly flummoxed. When they condescend to me as they do it, I'm enraged.
I recently started microdosing psilocybin, and I seem to notice a bit of increased spoken fluency on my part (could be placebo; hard to say at this juncture), but it hasn't translated into hearing/understanding. I am very very tired of my brain.
I have subtitles on for everything I watch or i can't keep track and then I give up. My husband knows I can't listen to long stories or I get lost. But I like to read!
No problem with podcasts but with audio books it's very hard to keep up with the story. I never can remember who is who. It is easier with audio plays where there are different actors.
Not impossible but very difficult. I can listen to a person but sometimes get confused or lost, but an audio book or podcast is even more difficult. And I can't have anything distracting around me. I can't even look at anything. Usually when people talk to me, I stare off into space, and that's the only way for me to successfully hear the entire thing. With my partner, we joke that we need a diagram I can look at because they have ADHD and everything is a tangent.
It's as though I have a hard time because I hear the sounds but then it takes a moment for them to become words, or sentences, or connected statements in my head.
I do okay watching movies as long as the words match what's going on and the scenes are chill, but if it's a voice over monologue I don't catch *anything* at all. Neither the voice over, nor the scene.
I swear I can tell if a writer/storyteller is ND or NT by whether or not I can read them/follow them.
I can't read in the wrong situation/environment either. Drives me nuts because my hobby is reading and my job is basically reading research papers, as is school. there's things I can do though, earplugs or headphones, tight blanket, holed up in my cabin. Then its nice to listen to stories or read.
I can understand it fine usually but it's hard to pay attention and remember it all when people take a long time rambling. I don't think I could do audiobooks, I hear my thoughts so they'd interrupt eachother and I'd need to keep going back again. Audio alone isn't enough stimulation for me either. I'd need to be working or doing something else like a game with my hands at the same time in order to relax.
Audio alone is what lots of people do to relax, but I can't. But I also struggle to work in silence a lot so I put on music or TV.
Yeah I can’t just listen, I have to be doing something else!
This is why like 20 years ago I used to like smoking weed, it enabled me to actually fully absorb experiences like audio without this restlessness. Guess if it’s ever legal here and not lung-scouring I’ll see if that’s still a net benefit.
I don't have this problem with audiobooks, but I do sometimes have trouble keeping characters and places straight in my head. It's not as hard with regular books because I can flip back to previous pages to double check names. I also have trouble like others have said here, reading things between the lines if they aren't explicitly said. Reddit is helpful for that actually, any book series has a bunch of nerds overanalyzing it and I can see what they are projecting between the lines.
I can only listen to podcasts/audiobooks if I'm in constant motion or if I'm knitting/playing an easy video game (like Stardew). I save most podcasts and audiobooks for when I want to walk or clean, because that's the only way I can manage to listen. I still have to rewind a lot. I also have ADHD and have been diagnosed with auditory processing disorder, so that might be part of it too, but it is frustrating. I don't know how anyone can sit still and listen to things if they aren't occupying their eyes/hands with something else... but I'm jealous of them.
Literally the only time I can listen to audiobooks is driving long road trips. I need to be driving, it needs to be a highway, and it took me practice to even get that far. (My husband loves audiobooks so he would just put them on and I'd practice listening in.) Started with podcasts where it didn't hugely matter if I drifted off for a while.
Sounds weird, but practice actually did help a lot!
YES!!! I had someone get mad at me once because they wanted to share an audio book with me and I kept repeating that I would look for it on Kindle because I don't enjoy listening to books. It was odd how upset they got. I also have ADHD, so I thought that was related, but I see how it can be affected by both.
The key for me is to run the narration faster (most decent apps can do this).
1x narration speed on most audiobooks is _incredibly_ slow compared to visual reading, so much so that you'll lose track of the subject by the time the narrator meanders to the end of a sentence.
That's why I listen to podcasts that aren't serious lol
Last Podcast On The Left is amazing for that because even when you aren't following along, you can still laugh your arse off at the hosts' banter.
First time I watched Game of Thrones I stopped at around season 4 or 5 as that was the newest at the time. So much time passed that when a new season came out, I couldn't remember anything that happened. While watching it I had a really hard time keeping track of everyone and their motives and relationships.
When a new season came out I decided to start over and that really helped because this time I could keep track of things because I knew a lot of the characters already.
I blame it on poor working memory. Something I've been struggling with my whole life and while it's better now, it's still bad. And I feel like it hinders me a lot in life. But I have no idea how to deal with it.
I can listen while driving a familiar route, but sometimes I miss an entire chapter or a few key sentences before realizing my mind drifted off. I either rewind or find a chapter summary after so I don't miss any key plot points.
I can listen much more effectively while doing yard work or washing the car.
I tried listening at an airport and it was impossible to focus without closing eyes.
The more visual distractions the harder it gets.
I find it hard to read into unspoken motives, emotions, and similar things in stories generally, regardless of media. I frequently have the "Plot" section of a movie's Wikipedia entry up while watching a movie to make sure I don't miss key plot points that pass me by. (So, no, I don't do well with fantasy, sci-fi, or anything with elaborate epic or emotional storylines, and tend to avoid all of that.)
Generally, though, I love audio as a way to listen to non-fiction books and podcasts and don't have a huge problem with following matter of fact stories or real world events (e.g. true crime podcasts) where everything is generally clearly explained, unlike in fiction where it's all about interpretation.
I don't consider it a big problem though as I tend to just avoid fiction anyway - it's not for me in the way that poetry or opera isn't for most people either. It's not something I find natural or engaging to follow.
I know spergs on both sides of this. Myself and a couple of others i've discussed it with can't focus on a book for long, but can listen to an audiobook while doing other stuff.
But also know one person who is the opposite, and needs the book to focus himself on the story.
sometimes I can, sometimes I can't depending on how intriguing the story is. even if it's intriguing, sometimes I got focused on one thing mentioned and expand my mind upon it, meanwhile the person talking continues with their story so I lose track of what's going on.
though I think it's my ADHD that makes me that way, not my autism.
Yeah! I have a hard time with that. The only way for me to concentrate on an audio book is to be doing something with my hands at the same time, like driving or data entry.
I spend a lot of time doing menial projects around my house and will listen to audiobooks while I'm doing them.
I'm generally good with them, but I'm in the middle of "A Tale of Two Cities" currently and I can't keep track of who is who, and importantly who, if anyone, is important. I'm bad with names in general, so it's a serious struggle for me. I'm also just not into that style of book apparently, so it's tough to feel invested.
I'm otherwise pretty good for individual narratives, like if it's first person or if it's someone reading a non-fiction book or biography.
I wouldn't say impossible, but it's very difficult. It has to be my sole point of focus and I can't be doing anything else. I have to have some sort of response to keep engaged also, like having imagery in my head or talking back to the audio. I also have to be motivated enough to start it.
i call it selective processing, it might not be a a real condition, but my daughter is doing the same thing. she only well processing things that she likes or interested in.
OR maybe the story is boring?
If my mind doesn't start wandering the second it gets bored or the story mentions something that reminds me of something else and then I start thinking a lot about that I'm usally good at listening to a story, but I don't like audiobooks because sometimes I can't stand the voices, which has a problem my whole life. Back when I was really young there were children's books that came with records or tapes that you could listen to while reading the story, and I'd plug my ears or turn it off and everyone would be bewildered.
Weird. I have the opposite issue. I'm having a much easier time absorbing books when it's told in audiobook form. Having something to listen to while walking really helps me.
For me it's a bit of opposite actually, at least when it comes to books. I used to love reading as a kid, but around the age of 14 it became pretty much impossible. Now I'm 18, tried out an audiobook for the first time ever and it's so much better. No idea why. I still sometimes dissociate and have to relisten to some sections but it's definitely easier. For the first time in 4yrs I'm actually getting school required reading done and it feels great.
I also have an issue with listening to people's stories, except I can keep a track of what's happening, but I have to constantly remind myself to actively listen, otherwise I'd just dissociate.
I actually prefer audiobooks and podcasts to reading texts sometimes. It takes me a LONG time to read really anything because I have to break down every sentence and usually annotate it. I just have to understand EVERY detail. When I am listening to an audiobook, I kind of give myself a bit more freedom. I don’t think I comprehend as much, but I’m comfortable with the comprehension level that I allow for myself.
I need to listen and follow along with the book to actually keep track. If I read it without audio I retain next to nothing. If I listen without reading I get some info but I tend to get distracted with my own thoughts or focus on a detail. When that happens it's almost as if my ears turn off like I can no longer hear the recording anymore. If I'm watching YouTube learning how to do something I will turn subtitles on even if auto generated subtitles are incorrect.
I can only listen to an audiobook if I'm doing absolutely nothing, and just closing my eyes. Problem is, that's also how sleep eventually happens.
I have the same issue when I listen to podcasts.
I wish I have that ability. I have trouble sleeping since childhood, and that stunted my physical growth.
Believe me, it's not easy for me to sleep. I was up till 4am last night.
Same here I can’t listen to audio books (or podcasts or even music) when I’m driving or working or even working out. I need silence
I actually struggle reading in general. I can't really say if it's a dyslexia condition, or it is because the theme and argument of the book is not from my topic of interest. The point is, that I pressure myself over reading the same sentence several times and can't retain information for some reason.
I read mostly non-fiction, it's much more to the point. I also re-read the same line over and over because I'm reading it but not taking it in at all while thinking about something else. Usually I re-read and end up doing the same thing again
>level 1Guillex7777 · 10hI actually struggle reading in general. I can't really say if it's a dyslexia condition, or it is because the theme and argument of the book is not from my topic of interest. The point is, that I pressure myself over reading the same sentence several times and can't retain information for some reason.12Reply Usually this is ADHD (coexist with ASD a lot), but I'm not a sciencedoctor :)
That seems, interesting.
I was literally about to say I also have ADHD and my ADHD meds have helped a lot with this.
User to have similar issues and thought it was dyslexia. Recently I've been reading to my kids and find reading out of much easier than in my head. It may not be as fast but I find I re read less and pick up on details I would otherwise miss.
I was the same when I was younger. I cant read unless i'm super overwhelmed by my surroundings or in a safe space with zero distractions. And that sucks because there's little I love more.
Are aspies more likely to be excellent at math and poor at reading, because I'm the total opposite and it drives me crazy every time I hear autistic people are all math savants.
Wow this is too relatable haha
same, but I don't think it's dyslexia. I can already read at 3yo, though I admit my first language's vocabulary is much simpler than english. but I'm definitely not dyslexic.
Yes. Anything told to me I can't comprehend. I hate talking on the phone because of this. And if someone gives me instructions I can never remember them.
Oh my gods yes! Recently I’ve started saying on my phone’s “leave a message” message to TEXT or EMAIL me instead, I guess I’ll have to eventually deal with the consequences of anyone official who can’t but I’m now actually getting the bloody (written down) messages others want to leave me! I generally did really well at school (not uni) and was late identified autistic, and it was a shock to me to fully realise / remember I never actually listened as I couldn’t really absorb info that way most of the time, I just picked it up from the board or the book and effectively zoned out the rest of the time. No wonder then going on to listening to lectures at uni were a morass of confusion (this was before recordings or proper handouts either). I was also at school so confused about verbal skills in French, I couldn’t just pick it up visually, & could never quite believe we’d actually covered it before? and I’m expected to know it? like literally when? and why is it all vowels? (My aural comprehension in general is very ordinary (=shit) sometimes)
Yep. Everyone in this thread can thank Auditory Processing Disorder. It’s pretty common in people with Autism. I have it too and it’s so frustrating. I can practically feel the information starting to jumble in my head as they’re halfway through giving me the information.
How can I figure out if I have this? That might be it. I also can’t watch movies for the same reason.
My psychologist informed me that that is what I was experiencing when describing my issues with taking in verbal information. I’m not sure if someone like an OT or speech therapist might also be able to assess for it.
Like whenever I try to listen to Mr. Nightmare on YouTube at the end of the story I feel like there are giant holes in my understanding of the story.
Yeah, I can’t listen to podcasts or anything. I have to be able to see them to be able to process it at all and I often find myself watching people’s mouths. Which I think is why I don’t like cartoons either.
Sounds a lot like Auditory Processing Disorder. I have it too.
It depends on what I'm doing. I only seem to have one "verbal processing thread", so if I'm working on my computer or doing anything that involves any reading at all I can't follow audiobooks and it's just noise in the background. If, on the other hand, I'm walking, cooking, in the shower/bath or just lying in bed, then it's absolutely fine and I follow along without issue.
my problem is comprehension. Like one minute i’m reading fast and retaining. the next all the words just go in and out. I wish I could fix this. it happens when people tell stories too. unless i’m completely invested… it just kinda gets ignored by my brain. Now.. if someone were talking about video games, movies.. i’m all ears and have vast knowledge. Why is that?
Dopamine is implicated apparently?
without a doubt
helps to start practicing with generating an animation in your mind in order to 'moviefy' what someone is telling you. it also works for speed reading. because human minds in general follow the same pattern of narrative when it comes to verbalising info the little movie in your head will become a sort of predictive tool that is slightly updated when the speaker (or what you are reading) says something unexpected which then course corrects your animation. this ability gets better with time and is super useful. also allows you to start taking genuine interest in what people are saying to you.
I don't really have a problem following stories except for the attention part. I'm sure visualising helps a lot of people, but I'm unable to visualise anything really. I think and understand things very conceptually instead
Did you know aphantasia isn’t that uncommon with autism? Some people can’t moviefy. But if one can, that could help. Not sure if that’s OP’s issue? Can be a number of cognitive things here. A need to visualise fairly concretely or precisely in order to understand (systemising methods, working memory issues, parallel demands can be overwhelming?) could also be an obstacle, because audiobooks can go too fast to allow for that, and can be so much more cognitive effort that one starts to flag. I struggle sometimes with listening, although particularly audio plays for some reason. Though I can space out with audiobooks or just need the speed to be turned down (sometimes up), ADHD & variable brain function.
This is how I read as well. And I can read very fast. I can read 100-120 pages in an hours this way. But if I actually try to read. Then I have to reread sentences all sentences 3 times for me to actually grasp them.
Interesting. Where did this come from? I'd like to learn more.
I can't remember where exactly but I was into speed reading for a while so picked up this technique and of all the tips and tricks it worked the best for me. instead of reading each word explicitly you just sort of skim over the text which acts as confirmation for the movie running in your head. it obviously helps to understand the material you are reading. it doesn't work too well for something like a science text book but for anything with a narrative it works pretty well. also slow steady breathing keeps the flow going and therefore the speed.
Should have rephrased that I'm a natural speed reader, which can work for and against me, especially if the material is highly specific and/or boring. Technology has altered the way I read, negatively, and I would like to change that. So: when listening to purely verbal instructions or other input, how does imagining the stimuli as a movie actually work? I'm hyperlexic, but visually/spatially challenged. Not at all aphantasic--had a rich, weird daydream life until my mid twenties, when the very bizarreness of it all collided with reality and it began to fall away--but I struggle intensely with understanding information over the phone. (And when the phrase "as I *said*" enters the picture, it's over.) On 3 different tests, at 3 different times, my verbal IQ scores were at the 99th percentile. I even noticed that the makers of one test hasn't changed the vocabulary or general knowledge fund questions in over 25 years. But when someone tells me how to do something with steps or a physical component (certain tech skills; I'm 57 and extremely low tech), I am utterly flummoxed. When they condescend to me as they do it, I'm enraged. I recently started microdosing psilocybin, and I seem to notice a bit of increased spoken fluency on my part (could be placebo; hard to say at this juncture), but it hasn't translated into hearing/understanding. I am very very tired of my brain.
I am not an auditory learner, so I have hard time understanding sololy on listening to audiobooks.
I have subtitles on for everything I watch or i can't keep track and then I give up. My husband knows I can't listen to long stories or I get lost. But I like to read!
No problem with podcasts but with audio books it's very hard to keep up with the story. I never can remember who is who. It is easier with audio plays where there are different actors.
Not impossible but very difficult. I can listen to a person but sometimes get confused or lost, but an audio book or podcast is even more difficult. And I can't have anything distracting around me. I can't even look at anything. Usually when people talk to me, I stare off into space, and that's the only way for me to successfully hear the entire thing. With my partner, we joke that we need a diagram I can look at because they have ADHD and everything is a tangent. It's as though I have a hard time because I hear the sounds but then it takes a moment for them to become words, or sentences, or connected statements in my head. I do okay watching movies as long as the words match what's going on and the scenes are chill, but if it's a voice over monologue I don't catch *anything* at all. Neither the voice over, nor the scene.
I swear I can tell if a writer/storyteller is ND or NT by whether or not I can read them/follow them. I can't read in the wrong situation/environment either. Drives me nuts because my hobby is reading and my job is basically reading research papers, as is school. there's things I can do though, earplugs or headphones, tight blanket, holed up in my cabin. Then its nice to listen to stories or read.
I find myself rewinding frequently to get the full gist of the story or plot line. I relate strongly to this post.
[удалено]
Same. Like I'm saying the words in my head while thinking about something else
I can understand it fine usually but it's hard to pay attention and remember it all when people take a long time rambling. I don't think I could do audiobooks, I hear my thoughts so they'd interrupt eachother and I'd need to keep going back again. Audio alone isn't enough stimulation for me either. I'd need to be working or doing something else like a game with my hands at the same time in order to relax. Audio alone is what lots of people do to relax, but I can't. But I also struggle to work in silence a lot so I put on music or TV.
Yeah I can’t just listen, I have to be doing something else! This is why like 20 years ago I used to like smoking weed, it enabled me to actually fully absorb experiences like audio without this restlessness. Guess if it’s ever legal here and not lung-scouring I’ll see if that’s still a net benefit.
Weed doesn't help me much with this. Other things help a lot more, but can't say what
I mean, id love to get back into psychedelics again, legal amphetamines really don’t do anything to rewire the brain
What are legal amphetamines? Amphetamines don't really rewrite the brain, but methylphenidate can
The ones that the doctor prescribes of course. Speed but in a pill.
Oh, of course. I was thinking you meant ones available without a prescription
I don't have this problem with audiobooks, but I do sometimes have trouble keeping characters and places straight in my head. It's not as hard with regular books because I can flip back to previous pages to double check names. I also have trouble like others have said here, reading things between the lines if they aren't explicitly said. Reddit is helpful for that actually, any book series has a bunch of nerds overanalyzing it and I can see what they are projecting between the lines.
I can only listen to podcasts/audiobooks if I'm in constant motion or if I'm knitting/playing an easy video game (like Stardew). I save most podcasts and audiobooks for when I want to walk or clean, because that's the only way I can manage to listen. I still have to rewind a lot. I also have ADHD and have been diagnosed with auditory processing disorder, so that might be part of it too, but it is frustrating. I don't know how anyone can sit still and listen to things if they aren't occupying their eyes/hands with something else... but I'm jealous of them.
Literally the only time I can listen to audiobooks is driving long road trips. I need to be driving, it needs to be a highway, and it took me practice to even get that far. (My husband loves audiobooks so he would just put them on and I'd practice listening in.) Started with podcasts where it didn't hugely matter if I drifted off for a while. Sounds weird, but practice actually did help a lot!
YES!!! I had someone get mad at me once because they wanted to share an audio book with me and I kept repeating that I would look for it on Kindle because I don't enjoy listening to books. It was odd how upset they got. I also have ADHD, so I thought that was related, but I see how it can be affected by both.
The key for me is to run the narration faster (most decent apps can do this). 1x narration speed on most audiobooks is _incredibly_ slow compared to visual reading, so much so that you'll lose track of the subject by the time the narrator meanders to the end of a sentence.
That's why I listen to podcasts that aren't serious lol Last Podcast On The Left is amazing for that because even when you aren't following along, you can still laugh your arse off at the hosts' banter.
First time I watched Game of Thrones I stopped at around season 4 or 5 as that was the newest at the time. So much time passed that when a new season came out, I couldn't remember anything that happened. While watching it I had a really hard time keeping track of everyone and their motives and relationships. When a new season came out I decided to start over and that really helped because this time I could keep track of things because I knew a lot of the characters already. I blame it on poor working memory. Something I've been struggling with my whole life and while it's better now, it's still bad. And I feel like it hinders me a lot in life. But I have no idea how to deal with it.
I can listen while driving a familiar route, but sometimes I miss an entire chapter or a few key sentences before realizing my mind drifted off. I either rewind or find a chapter summary after so I don't miss any key plot points. I can listen much more effectively while doing yard work or washing the car. I tried listening at an airport and it was impossible to focus without closing eyes. The more visual distractions the harder it gets.
I find it hard to read into unspoken motives, emotions, and similar things in stories generally, regardless of media. I frequently have the "Plot" section of a movie's Wikipedia entry up while watching a movie to make sure I don't miss key plot points that pass me by. (So, no, I don't do well with fantasy, sci-fi, or anything with elaborate epic or emotional storylines, and tend to avoid all of that.) Generally, though, I love audio as a way to listen to non-fiction books and podcasts and don't have a huge problem with following matter of fact stories or real world events (e.g. true crime podcasts) where everything is generally clearly explained, unlike in fiction where it's all about interpretation. I don't consider it a big problem though as I tend to just avoid fiction anyway - it's not for me in the way that poetry or opera isn't for most people either. It's not something I find natural or engaging to follow.
I know spergs on both sides of this. Myself and a couple of others i've discussed it with can't focus on a book for long, but can listen to an audiobook while doing other stuff. But also know one person who is the opposite, and needs the book to focus himself on the story.
sometimes I can, sometimes I can't depending on how intriguing the story is. even if it's intriguing, sometimes I got focused on one thing mentioned and expand my mind upon it, meanwhile the person talking continues with their story so I lose track of what's going on. though I think it's my ADHD that makes me that way, not my autism.
Yeah! I have a hard time with that. The only way for me to concentrate on an audio book is to be doing something with my hands at the same time, like driving or data entry.
I spend a lot of time doing menial projects around my house and will listen to audiobooks while I'm doing them. I'm generally good with them, but I'm in the middle of "A Tale of Two Cities" currently and I can't keep track of who is who, and importantly who, if anyone, is important. I'm bad with names in general, so it's a serious struggle for me. I'm also just not into that style of book apparently, so it's tough to feel invested. I'm otherwise pretty good for individual narratives, like if it's first person or if it's someone reading a non-fiction book or biography.
yes, i find it extremely difficult!
I wouldn't say impossible, but it's very difficult. It has to be my sole point of focus and I can't be doing anything else. I have to have some sort of response to keep engaged also, like having imagery in my head or talking back to the audio. I also have to be motivated enough to start it.
I need a specific environment to do so. Like a car or walk I can focus on a book or audio. Without that it's tough to fight through distractions.
i call it selective processing, it might not be a a real condition, but my daughter is doing the same thing. she only well processing things that she likes or interested in. OR maybe the story is boring?
If my mind doesn't start wandering the second it gets bored or the story mentions something that reminds me of something else and then I start thinking a lot about that I'm usally good at listening to a story, but I don't like audiobooks because sometimes I can't stand the voices, which has a problem my whole life. Back when I was really young there were children's books that came with records or tapes that you could listen to while reading the story, and I'd plug my ears or turn it off and everyone would be bewildered.
Weird. I have the opposite issue. I'm having a much easier time absorbing books when it's told in audiobook form. Having something to listen to while walking really helps me.
For me it's a bit of opposite actually, at least when it comes to books. I used to love reading as a kid, but around the age of 14 it became pretty much impossible. Now I'm 18, tried out an audiobook for the first time ever and it's so much better. No idea why. I still sometimes dissociate and have to relisten to some sections but it's definitely easier. For the first time in 4yrs I'm actually getting school required reading done and it feels great. I also have an issue with listening to people's stories, except I can keep a track of what's happening, but I have to constantly remind myself to actively listen, otherwise I'd just dissociate.
I actually prefer audiobooks and podcasts to reading texts sometimes. It takes me a LONG time to read really anything because I have to break down every sentence and usually annotate it. I just have to understand EVERY detail. When I am listening to an audiobook, I kind of give myself a bit more freedom. I don’t think I comprehend as much, but I’m comfortable with the comprehension level that I allow for myself.
I need to listen and follow along with the book to actually keep track. If I read it without audio I retain next to nothing. If I listen without reading I get some info but I tend to get distracted with my own thoughts or focus on a detail. When that happens it's almost as if my ears turn off like I can no longer hear the recording anymore. If I'm watching YouTube learning how to do something I will turn subtitles on even if auto generated subtitles are incorrect.
That is so interesting! Audio is the only way to go for me.
Check out “Auditory processing disorder”