Extreme sensitivity to TV commercials

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I have the same issue as your son. On the rare occasion I watch TV, I mute the commercials. When I am with others, I used to insist that they be muted. People have chastised me for wanting to mute them so now I don't feel safe asking. Do most people actually WANT to watch them?

The worst thing you can do is make your son feel bad because of his sensitivity. The fact that you are here means you care. Thank you!

I have this issue too. Since commercials keep getting louder and more obnoxious, we have a rule in our house - all TV commercials must be muted.

I stopped watching T.V for a reason, commercials are so annoying what really angers me is they now have occasional commercials on youtube, its amazing I have not smashed my computer yet.

I try very hard not to make my son feel bad about his sensitivities. But I do have issues with the violence and aggression that might come out from them. If you tell me to shut it off I will do that. Some times he has the control and patience to say it and some times he doesn't.
I cant even get gas at some of our local gas stations because they have little tvs at the top
of the pumps that play commercials. I find myself very aware that there so so many tvs around our lives besides in our home. One spot that has been a real challenge is flying. The little tvs that hang from the ceilings... They play more than movies now. We havent been flying lately because of his last outburt on the plane (from the tv).

Someones mentioned that in the UK they have rules/regulations about this...what about the (supposed) new federal law (here in the US) about this? My husband LAUGHED when we heard about it on the news; until I explained to him the reason I ALWAYS leave the room during commercials is because the noise HURTS. (This was all w/in the last 3 years; after my AS diagnosis, it ALL came together, the pain from over-loud commercials & the reason that I HATE the bright, flourescent lights in this rental home of ours!) I realized THAT was why I hated shopping at K-Mart & Wal-Mart...their lights hurt. Target is ok-ish (just too far & expensive).

On a side-note; the balasts in the kitchen light went out 2 days ago (after WEEKS of flickering) dh is an electrician, so he called the landlord to get permission for us to change it out. Landlord got CHEAP on us & said (as he was on the phone & surfing amazon.com) that he found an exact replacement for $33 w/free shipping...told us we could either go with that or spend UPTO $33 at Home Depot. I got my way; we spent an EXTRA $50 & got a nice soft light (everyone else says "it's not as bright as the old one" well, DUHHH....that's what I wanted ! !! !)

back to the op's thread:

I didn't have much of a problem with commercials when I was younger. The last ten years or so it seems like these things have just gotten worse and worse to the point of being physically painful. Bright, clashing colors, flashes, words blasting out like gunshots... it's just too much.

Consider yourselves lucky. At least he won't ever end up a couch potato.

I just saw this in the news, and dashed over here to post it... sorry if it's already been posted, but apparently enough NT's find it offensive that congress has actually heard about the issue of loud commercials. http://news.yahoo.com/congress-does-som ... 16547.html I, myself, don't watch TV anymore, I spend time on the computer, and my volume is set at 4. When I used to try and watch TV, I was a "mute button" fanatic. Husband is blase about it, I am religious about the mute. He used to just shake his head at me. Fine, problem solved once I got internet! he's got the TV room all to himself.... hmmm.... now that I think about it, the fact that we HAVE a "TV room" just about says it all, doesn't it? The stupid box is in it's own room.... with a door on it..... sigh. I hate TV. Always have, really, and don't get me started on the lousy programming..... !

edited for a typo I should have caught before posting ... sorry

i have it myself.., i always get so focused on what i'm watching and then i get disturbed by stupid commercials that i don't give a damn about.. also the sound of the commercials is always louder then what i'm actually watching so stupid.

Commercials are maddening. They are loud, obnoxious, violent and cruel. A full assault on the senses. Always condescending and mean spirited. As perverse as 'entertainment' can get without being explicit in its perversity. Sneaky and deceptive. Just disgusting. advertisers purposely implement aggressive tactics in an attempt to subdue the viewer/listener into buying/buying into whatever product/image they are pimping out to and poluting the populace with. In a sensible world people would realize they are under attack and act accordingly but we are stricken with apathy and self loathing and believe we deserve it. Like Stockholm syndrome or something

Everyone should be throwing remotes at the TV when the commercials come on

I've been tempted many times...
Best trick I've found so far is to avoid commercial TV and even better, all TV. It's just getting worse for all the pandering to increasingly simplistic expectations.

I mute the TV at the start of every commercial break and turn to the computer to read a little or listen to music. Even then my mood lowers a little.
It's not the heightened volume so much as the way the commercials ACT. They're corny, obnoxious, unrealistic, and you can feel the sheer fake-ness radiating from the screen.

Last edited by Ellytoad on 17 Sep 2011, 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

In response to cornflakes post. Yeah. Ive all but stopped watching TV completely. There are interesting shows on occasionally but they are few and far between. and commercials just set my attitude off and make me hate everything

I think the sound of commercials is often more cluttered and tension-rousing to an autistic person than the sound ordinary programming. You usually have voices talking loudly and quickly over a background jingle, plus abrupt changes from one commercial to the next.

Commercials always make me feel irritable. Commercials for drug prescriptions make me want to punch the television. I hate television in general.