Are my limitations acceptable?

[FireHeart]

Hey I just wanted others opinions on something, why I signed up.

I have worked on a lot growing up and have improved on things such as my panic attacks to loud noises, but they still make me jump / scream quiet if suden and need to cover my ears like the fire alarm at work. I work in dental nursing and deal with patients but have never found any resources helping me understand if I can even be allowed to react this way? I hide it as much as possible such as minor stimming as I feel it does not appear professional. I have found no resources to answer these questions. I am very good at my job and tick all the boxes except my minor stimming and the rare occasion the fire alarm comes up.

Thank you.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I'd say, as long as your patients are comfortable, you're doing your job well and there are no issues with your co-workers, there's nothing to worry about. The only issue I could think of is that, as a dental assistant, it could be dangerous for your patients if you're working on something on their teeth and, due to a loud noise, you suddenly flinch or make a loud noise so the patient flinches, since you could hurt the patient through an uncontrolled movement. But you didn't mention situations like these and say that the fire alarm comes up very rarely, so that shouldn't be an issue, right?
If you feel the need to stim more and/or be more open at your workplace, you could consider telling your co-workers. But I wouldn't worry about "being allowed" to do certain stuff at your workplace, as long as your patients are fine and you're not breaching the healthcare code or being unsanitary.

 

[marc_101]

I don't think it's a major problem. You don't need to tell people it's autism or stimming. You could not say anything or just say that you have "sensitive" ears to some frequencies.

Check out "concert" ear plugs. They block very loud noises but you can still hear everything. Some have cool designs.

 

[Judge]

I work in dental nursing and deal with patients but have never found any resources helping me understand if I can even be allowed to react this way?

Good question. Logically I would think this is only a potential problem if it winds up "on the radar" of both the dentist and their patients. If it is, then you have a problem. If not, maybe it's "much ado about nothing". Plus there's one other thing to consider. For patients, their level of pain and discomfort most likely occupy them from the time they sit in a dental chair to the moment they leave it.

For what it's worth, I also react badly to most any sudden and loud sound. Especially ear-splitting fire alarms.

Though in that regard, from a safety standpoint, people are supposed to react in such a way. Did you ever consider this? That if your reaction is most often the result of an alarm system, then it shouldn't be a problem for anyone. Keeping in mind that the proximate cause is an alarm going off. Not you "going off".

From my perspective, the real problem is when people don't react to such alarms. (I was an insurance underwriter for nearly 20 years). Very professional for you to be concerned about such a thing. However from my professional perspective, you need not give it further thought.

 

[Aspychata]

Thanks for asking about this. I never understood l was masking until l came to this site. So you respond to sounds, and l think nobody can judge you for this. Some of us jump at loud noises, others don't blink an eye. So just relax and continue on. Masking, or stimming as a reaction means we try to repress our self by taking an action due to an environmental stimulus. I do recognize others who mask now like me. It's like a secretive language. When l see someone swaying, or tapping themselves, l think, wait, they are like me.

 

[Rodafina]

my minor stimming and the rare occasion the fire alarm comes up.

Having a strong reaction to a fire alarm is very common even among neurotypical people... it makes a lot of sense to have this reaction and unless you work in a firehouse, really shouldn't be occurring that often. If the stimming is indeed "minor," then that, too sounds perfectly acceptable.

Perhaps, you could focus on self acceptance here and try to not worry so much about if the way you act is acceptable or not. Allow yourself to have the reactions that you have and allay your fears of what others think.

I think the term "unacceptable behaviors" ought to be saved for when you are harming yourself or others or cause serious disruptions to the environment you are in.

 

[Ken]

I still have negative, sometimes extremely embarrassing reactions to some things. That has been true for all my 71 years.

At this point, I consider sensitivities is just a given. I just live with them. There are some jobs and many social activities that I can't do, but there are plenty more that I can.

Even so, I ended up with a great job and now very happily retired from a career that I'm proud of - that I attribute my autism for that success.

Just know; everyone has difficulties in life, autism or not. Yours is a difficulty, not a deal breaker.