3. Auditory Distortions: The Symphony of Chaos
Sound, for most of us, offers a predictable experience. The hum of a refrigerator or the murmur of a distant conversation has a consistent auditory signature. But throw AIWS into the mix, and this predictability crumbles. Sounds can swing between extremes, either becoming deafeningly loud or fading into an almost imperceptible whisper.
This symptom points towards the brain’s heightened or diminished auditory processing. Neural pathways, which usually filter and modulate sound input, become erratic. The outcome is an auditory experience that’s in constant flux.
Daily life gets punctuated with challenges. Engaging in conversations becomes a game of adjusting to fluctuating volumes. Ambient sounds, which typically fade into the background, can suddenly take center stage, making it hard to focus on tasks at hand. (3)