It hasn't been awhile since my last post. My life got busy in past two months. I finally found a spare time today to express myself about the communication and its' challenges. Everybody in general I find communication is a challenge. Whether you have disabilities or not, the challenges is happening.
My frustrations with communication is highly reflective of poor awareness of understanding my challenges. It quite difficult to understand different communication strategies when you meet people. Although as I have English as second language, dyslexia, hearing loss, autism and sensory issues I find myself challenged in the conversation environment. A suitable environment for myself should eliminate the communication challenges that upon reflects from my disabilities.
My poor writing and grammatical sense is influenced from dyslexia which is a coincidental issue from autism or Aspergers. My hearing loss is part of listening and speaking skills. Combination of those is impacting on my lifestyle heavily. Especially in a social environment where I meet people. I find it very hard to meet right people to communicate with. There may be lack of awareness or understanding this what causes my isolation of not communicating with people.
My sensory issues also impacting my suitability of the environment. For instance, going to a loud and noisy environments like bars/clubs, music festivals, high traffic areas and thereof I find communicating is very impossible. The only way I can communicate in these sort of environment is in Auslan. However, the noise of the environment can impact in my senses; which that gives me headache. My brain cannot process multitasking especially in these situations. Likewise in group conversations where many people are talking at the same time, my mind cannot process that. I have faced lot of forced reactions from my friends conversations whereas they couldn't wish to communicate with me. This is part of me, thus pressuring me into social isolation. Here a series of some pictures illustrating my experiences.
1. antisocial reactions from the person doesn't want to continue the conversation by asking repeats. This is a huge turn off, and its very offensive for any deaf and hard of hearing person. People do want to know, at least they are trying to listen to you.
2. Assertive communication cycle - I have trouble maintaining this cycle, whether the person is passive it makes me feel aggressive about it.
3. Group conversations becomes out of hand. Lot of people talking at the same time, speaking at irregular pace and tones. Its too overwhelming for a deaf and hard of hearing person. This is not a normal conversation. I learned not to overtalk people, because it is rude.
4. Pathways - I tend to struggle to choose from what best ways to socialise people in suitable environments. People and friends tend to reject these outcomes. I find this very disrespectful to judge the person's communication barriers by selective social environments.
Hope you all understand.
