I can't filter out voices

[Hoagy]

Normally my hearing is fine. If you and I were having a conversation one-on-one I would be able to hear every word okay. But when I'm in an environment where there are several people talking at once I find it difficult to filter out one voice and concentrate on it so I only hear the occassional word. All I can hear is: "mumble mumble process mumble mumble banana ..." It's especially difficult if I'm at work and trying to understand instructions. I always thought this was normal and nothing to worry too much about but it has been suggested to me that this is a consequence of stress and anxiety. Should I go to the doctor and get my hearing checked?

[chickydoodle]

Normally my hearing is fine. If you and I were having a conversation one-on-one I would be able to hear every word okay. But when I'm in an environment where there are several people talking at once I find it difficult to filter out one voice and concentrate on it so I only hear the occassional word. All I can hear is: "mumble mumble process mumble mumble banana ..." It's especially difficult if I'm at work and trying to understand instructions. I always thought this was normal and nothing to worry too much about but it has been suggested to me that this is a consequence of stress and anxiety. Should I go to the doctor and get my hearing checked?

 

Are you on antidepressants?

I have found I have this problem since being on them. I think it is more a concentration problem than a hearing problem , but I guess its no harm to get the hearing checked out anyway.

[Fern]

Normally my hearing is fine. If you and I were having a conversation one-on-one I would be able to hear every word okay. But when I'm in an environment where there are several people talking at once I find it difficult to filter out one voice and concentrate on it so I only hear the occassional word. All I can hear is: "mumble mumble process mumble mumble banana ..." It's especially difficult if I'm at work and trying to understand instructions. I always thought this was normal and nothing to worry too much about but it has been suggested to me that this is a consequence of stress and anxiety. Should I go to the doctor and get my hearing checked?

 

Me and my dad are like this. Even music playing can distract me and I don't hear what is being said. Dad claims it's like a type of tone deafness and it's just the way we are. Have you always been this way?

[Miss Firecracker]

Could it be a form of ADD? I am not a doctor, of course. Hate to even comment because I could be miles off. But I know that would be one of the signs of ADD.

[VeryConfused17]

It CAN be a form of ADD. I have the same problem, always have. Whether its at bars, crowded business meetings, restaurants, etc. I have trouble honing in on the person(s) talking to me. Often times I'll catch a word or phrase from a conversation nearby and I'll loose my concentration on the conversation at hand. I've researched this a bit over the internet since I've always had trouble with it. What I've found to help is when someone is talking to you in a crowded place, turn your dominant ear (for me its my left) in the direction speaking. I seem to able to process voices better with my left ear. I wouldn't recommend doing this to your boss or a professional environment, but I often do it when with friends. I just kind of look a bit down to the right (as if staring at my right elbow). This helps me. Just my two cents.

[Seraphim]

My son has a hearing processing disorder and this is what happens to him. It is not that there is anything wrong with his hearing but how his brain interprets the sounds. It is worth talking to your dr about. My son was diagnosed at 9. As result of his hearing processing disorder he is learning disabled and his IEP label is "communication disabled". He does much better if he can watch your face when you talk and also if there is very little background noise.