Every Single Sound Seems Like A Threat

[Carolion]

This is my first posting so I apologize in advance for any errors. I live in a condo and I can hear every little or loud noises my neighbor makes. Even though the logical part of my brain knows there's a 99% chance that it's ok and it's just my neighbor and her dogs I can't stop myself from panicking because of that 1% chance that it's not. I end up having to patrol around my house with a knife in my hand or it'll just get worse and worse. My heart starts racing, my breathing becomes rapid and I just feel so so so crazy. I just don't feel like I have any control over any of my ptsd. I try so hard to be normal and I want to be especially for the few people in my life who love me. I just don't know what to do anymore I'm so desperate for any relief. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them.

 

[Joan]

I am so sorry that you are experiencing this. I have experienced this and still do at times. For me I have found it best not to fight so hard to be normal. The more I fight something the worse it becomes. I acknowledge my fear or what I am feeling and experiencing, sometimes even thinking through the rationale behind it (thing in my trauma), continue to tell yourself that right now you are safe, acknowledge where you are...it helps me to use my senses...naming things I see, smell, hear, taste (making myself have something hot or cold or spicy). Is there anything that calms you...can you put on some sound to help dull the other noise? Is there someone you can call or text? Most of all try to be kind to yourself. Know that you are not alone...not now and not in how you are feeling. You are not crazy.

 

[Carolion]

I am so sorry that you are experiencing this. I have experienced this and still do at times. For me I ha...

Thank you so much for replying and being so kind hearted I really appreciate it. It helps knowing I'm not the only one that feels that way and I mean logically I knew that but it helps hearing it all the same. I just don't feel comfortable talking to anyone that's in my life about it either they take it personally or it worries them to an extreme or they act like I should just be ok. I feel bad for having to look around the house at all hours and possibly waking other people up that live here and sometimes I have to do it multiple times or I just can't relax. I wish that even if I have to live with my ptsd that others wouldn't have to suffer for it on my behalf. I do try to cope with it though and distract myself but sometimes I just can't no matter what I do. Listening to music till I'm too exhausted to fight sleep anymore works sometimes or just getting up for a bit and playing solitaire or reading helps but it's always a roll of the dice on weather it will work or not. And it definitely depends on how constant the jarring noises are which I can't predict. I feel like every day is a fight and it's exhausting. And from what doctors tell me having a messed up sleep schedule can worsen symptoms and all that but I just can't seem to keep to one for any length of time. I'll absolutely try your suggestions though of making myself aware of my surroundings and trying to work myself down that way. And thank you again so much for responding it really meant a lot to me. I never really talk much about these things beyond generalized statements.

 

[EveHarrington]

:hug:

Does having noise in your apartment help by blocking out their noise?

Would earplugs or headphones/music help? Or maybe noise blocking headphones?

 

[Carolion]

:hug:

Does having noise in your apartment help by blocking out their noise?

Would earplugs or h...

Sometimes that helps though i can't seem to sleep with headphones in I always end up pulling them out. I'm thinking maybe a white noise machine might work though or a loud fan. But I have to say because of the way the condos are set up with their lack of dividing insulation I can hear a lot from my neighbor she's super loud and so are her two dogs. The person I live with and I call them a heard of elephants. It's crazy her dogs are always thundering up and down the stairs and barking. It gets super creepy though when I hear her walk up her stairs it really sounds like someone is walking up my stairs it freaks me out to no end. Thank you so much for replying I really appreciate it ^-^

 

[EveHarrington]

:hug:

I can't sleep without my white noise machine. It goes wherever I go (on overnight trips).

Would having thick wall tapestries help block out noise? I remember my grandparents having them on their walls-----but they didn't need them to muffle noise as I think they were created for warmth. (It was a thick old tapestry from the mother land.) I know an extra layer could help block out sound.

 

[Carolion]

:hug:

I can't sleep without my white noise machine. It goes wherever I go (on overnight trips)....

What brand white noise machine do you use? I've been browsing online for one and there's a billion. Hmm maybe if I get a few of those rug like tapestries that'll work. The insulation between the condos is just super crappy unfortunately I can legit hear her coughing if I'm in the living room and it's not her fault so I don't complain or anything since it can't be helped much anyways. I really think the white noise machine sounds like the way to go. I've been using a small kinda noisy fan but it's just not doing the trick.

 

[EveHarrington]

What brand white noise machine do you use? I've been browsing online for one and there's a billion. Hm...

The white noise machine I have is from Sleep Easy. It adjusts so that you can control how the white noise sounds. It sells for about $25 on Amazon but does go on sale for cheaper as I paid $20 and got it during a price drop. I've had it almost 2 years now and it still works great. I don't use it every night, if I have a fan on or a space heater or my humidifier I won't use the noise machine. It's small enough to travel with and doesn't take up much room. I highly recommend getting one!

 

[Carolion]

The white noise machine I have is from Sleep Easy. It adjusts so that you can control how the whi...

Yay ^-^ that's not as expensive as I thought it'd be which is exciting I'll deff check it out. Thank you so much! ^-^

 

[EveHarrington]

Yay ^-^ that's not as expensive as I thought it'd be which is exciting I'll deff check it out. Thank y...

You're welcome! :)

I hope it works well for you. I love mine and am considering getting a backup just in case something happens to it. With sleep issues like mine------lets just say that I wake up feeling very unrested if I fall asleep with no noise in the room.

 

[Carolion]

You're welcome! :)

I hope it works well for you. I love mine and am considering getting a backup...

I deff hear you there my sleeping habits are just crap. I stay awake for a day or two sometimes or I just wake up every hour on the hour it's a mess. I have been taking a vitamin supplement recently called Valerian root which seems to help. It doesn't make me tired but when I do fall asleep I don't wake up as often as I usually do. I have taken medication for it before (trazadone and ambien) but they only work for a little while before I built up a tolerance and they end up making my skin feel all crawly and stop working all together.

 

[lymphomamama]

Carolion you sound remarkably like me. I don't sleep at night. I spend hours either locked in the bedroom or creeping in the dark checking doors and windows. I've tried to make a habit of watching tv in the bedroom with the volume up a little. It covers sounds from outside. I also leave the living room tv on muted and alternate lights around the house. Objective being making it look like there are multiple people awake when the house is viewed from outside. I imagine all sorts of evil-doers lurking out there. I've called my husband at work countless times, 911 too many times. I've done all those sleep meds and more. They leave me zombied out and of course there's the fear that I won't be able defend myself if I need to.
Hope you find some relief. If you do, please share