I'm exactly the same way. Turns out I'm autistic. Diagnosed at age 40. It really is shutting down. I can't function well in places like that. It's too much to process. I love concerts but I hate going to concerts with people. I can't enjoy the music AND be social. I can't hear what anyone is saying if I have to listen to everyone. I can't even really read lips because I can't translate one thing to another when I'm so busy EXPERIENCING. Plus, being blind in a dark space adds anxiety and requires extra processing power to navigate.
Look into shutdowns vs meltdowns.

I' not the only one?

I struggle hearing in restaurants and sometimes even shops. One time I was out with friends, and one of them asked if I was hard-of-hearing because I couldn't understand what they were saying. I'm kinda grateful I decided a job at Apple wasn't for me (beyond facing technical issues with trying to reserve an interview), because I find it so loud an overwhelming. I get exhausted being in a shopping mall for a few hours, and going to a club, pub, or bar sounds like an absolute nightmare to me. I'm not sure if this is normal or suggests a sensory/auditory processing disorder, especially because I find certain sounds upsetting (sirens if they're close, any form of machinery, even a doll that made robotic motions when I was a kid).

I love going to bars and out to eat with my bf and friends. Most places are ‘loud’ and the bars are always so dark! My friends and bf treat me well by automatically without asking them, guide me to the tables or to the bathroom since I can’t see well in low lighting. When we can’t hear each other we just text lol!

I need my hearing to know where I am and where people are around me. When it's too loud and busy I have to put so much focus into hearing sounds that will tell me where people are around me that I cannot focus on what people say. Makes me feel like the bad old days of trying to walk around without the cane.

Damn, this sounds like me to a T anymore. Over the years, I've found myself struggling more and more being around crowds, even small ones. Now that my vision is failing, it feels like it's even worse. My brain wants to process everything at once and I can't isolate just one voice, no I gotta hear them all. Then I get anxious and want to leave in a hurry. However, I've been in bar and grills where there wasn't many people with loud music and I was mostly fine. Before I moved back in with my folks, I lived in a cheap mobile home with barely anything for insulation and vinyl siding. The sound of rain hitting the side of the house was enough to drive up my anxiety. If I wore headphones and listened to music, I was ok under the thunder boomed.
The whole thing is just weird. I can walk along a busy street and the sound of vehicles doesn't bother me, but a room with a few people in it and I can't handle it. Heck, I worked in a press shop around noisy equipment and that didn't bother me.


In most cases, I avoid being around situations if there is more than one or two people involved. Sucks, but it's better than freaking out, lol

Oh yes I do. I hate wedding receptions for this reason, and because the loud music hurts my ears. I end up outside with the smokers. I have to choose between my ears and my lungs.

Wait, so I’m not the only one? This happens to me all the time. It’s so stressful to the point where I have legit started crying in places that are too chaotic.

Yep, I'm the same way. Never liked being in loud indoor places and can't seem to have any decent conversations.

I guess that depends on how loud the environment is. If I'm sitting close to people I'll definitely talk to them. If it's the grocery store, I have trouble hearing because of all the extra noise.

This is me

Doesn’t happen to me personally but one of my friends has this happen! I suggest musicians earplugs if you want to go out to places like that. It lll dampen the noise around you but you’ll be able to hear your friends close by

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I suggest that you go to such places with a person you trust and understands your situation so that you can ask him any questions related to your environment for example where everyone is located and if someone is doing something you should know and you can also ask him to take you to someone, and I don't think anyone can hear each other with such a loud music you have to lean in close people talk in each other's ears

No. I just get closer to the person speaking and try to listen in or strain. Unless it’s a loud concert I am fine, if it’s just a restaurant or bar I can do it. Unless the music is riddiculous. Then again, I get closer. I don’t shut down or freak out, I just ligitimately can’t hear but the noise has to be that loud and at that point a lot of people are struggling themselves. I just talk to the people closest to me.