joycem137
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- Sep 28, 2011
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As some of you know, in the midst of learning ASL last year, I got diagnosed as having an auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Short description: Although I never have problems detecting and receiving sounds such as speech, I do have trouble processing/understanding those sounds, especially speech, in certain situations, especially environments with background noise.
There are two things that I am continuing to struggle with about this.
First: Learning to cope better. Before my diagnosis, I avoided situations where I had problems. If I ran into a problematic situation, I'd just guess at what was said and hope it was close enough. Because of this, I avoided things like using telephones with strangers and most hearing social gatherings.
Now, I'm learning to cope better. In 1 on 1 conversations, I ask people to repeat themselves when I can't understand, sometimes stopping them mid-sentence or asking multiple times. I'm still struggling with group conversations, work meetings, and social gatherings, but I'm learning. I'm also starting to face social gatherings head on and try to cope there, instead of just hiding and avoiding.
I also wonder how CAPD relates to the Deaf/HoH community. I find ASL communication and environments very nice. I can socialize with strangers there in a way that I have never been able to do in similar, but hearing, environments. Communication problems are expected since I'm new to sign, unlike the expectation that I should always understand spoken English in hearing environments.
When asked if I'm hearing or why I am learning ASL or why I come to Deaf Chat, I need to talk about my CAPD experience, and I don't know how to explain clearly and quickly.
Some folks on alldeaf.com suggest saying that I'm HoH. Most of my hearing friends also describe me as HoH. But others say that HoH isn't correct since I don't have any difficulty detecting and receiving sounds. People I've met in the Deaf community default to thinking of me as hearing until I spend more time talking about my experiences of CAPD, after which they aren't sure how to describe me either. My ASL teacher suggested a sign for my identity that looks like "mixed," as in a mix of some experiences that are like hearing and some that are like Deaf/HoH.
Whatever the case, I am enjoying my interactions with the Deaf community and the chance to socialize in ways that have been previously inaccessible to me in the hearing world. I am also learning a lot about how to face my challenges instead of just hiding from them and avoiding difficult situations.
I appreciate the opportunity to share here. Thank you for reading.
There are two things that I am continuing to struggle with about this.
First: Learning to cope better. Before my diagnosis, I avoided situations where I had problems. If I ran into a problematic situation, I'd just guess at what was said and hope it was close enough. Because of this, I avoided things like using telephones with strangers and most hearing social gatherings.
Now, I'm learning to cope better. In 1 on 1 conversations, I ask people to repeat themselves when I can't understand, sometimes stopping them mid-sentence or asking multiple times. I'm still struggling with group conversations, work meetings, and social gatherings, but I'm learning. I'm also starting to face social gatherings head on and try to cope there, instead of just hiding and avoiding.
I also wonder how CAPD relates to the Deaf/HoH community. I find ASL communication and environments very nice. I can socialize with strangers there in a way that I have never been able to do in similar, but hearing, environments. Communication problems are expected since I'm new to sign, unlike the expectation that I should always understand spoken English in hearing environments.
When asked if I'm hearing or why I am learning ASL or why I come to Deaf Chat, I need to talk about my CAPD experience, and I don't know how to explain clearly and quickly.
Some folks on alldeaf.com suggest saying that I'm HoH. Most of my hearing friends also describe me as HoH. But others say that HoH isn't correct since I don't have any difficulty detecting and receiving sounds. People I've met in the Deaf community default to thinking of me as hearing until I spend more time talking about my experiences of CAPD, after which they aren't sure how to describe me either. My ASL teacher suggested a sign for my identity that looks like "mixed," as in a mix of some experiences that are like hearing and some that are like Deaf/HoH.
Whatever the case, I am enjoying my interactions with the Deaf community and the chance to socialize in ways that have been previously inaccessible to me in the hearing world. I am also learning a lot about how to face my challenges instead of just hiding from them and avoiding difficult situations.
I appreciate the opportunity to share here. Thank you for reading.