Panic Attack Over Noise

[ragdoll]

BloomInWinter,
The sounds suck don't they? I've tried listening to my phone music with earphones but this distracts me more - the outside sounds still find a a way in... I've tried blocking one ear with my hand to not look so obvious but der to me, I have another ear! Someone suggested foam earplugs like the construction workers use. I'm going to try them even though I think I'll look like Shrek with his earwax problems!! Lucky I have long hair....:sneaky:

I startle at little things and found myself doing more so as PTSD symptoms kept popping up. ie flashbacks, nightmares, depression, anxiety and the tiredness.
Hearing leaves blowing in the wind really got to me & the phone ringing. I think I have become more accustomed to them because they are there all the time - not because of mindfulness. Can't understand why I can't get used to my dog barking- she constantly does it!!!
I'm still searching for something else other than mindfulness to help me when I get the creepies from the things that startle me. There must be something out there that will work for me. It peeves me that I have to keep trying to find out a way to cope but I like the idea I'm not alone with this Forum and my T. I like the idea of using lemon oil as someone suggested on this Forum. I also find if I'm not so exhausted from battling the symptoms of PTSD I can cope better.

I'm not too clued up on dissocciation. I think I disocciated alot when I was going through my trauma. I tend to zone out more now. Like I'm just "doing" to live - kind of robotic.
I don't know if it is progress to dissociate less and be more hypervigilent. Can anyone else answer this????
My T tells me she can help me with coping mechanisms on my hyervigilence with more therapy. Tried exposure therapy - didn't work - fax machine, telephones rang during session. Trying EMDR in the next few weeks. Fingers x'd

Apart from feeling like you are losing your mind when the noises get out of hand , what do you use to cope when this happens to you???
xxxxxxxx

 

[Gloria]

Ragdoll, you go on ranting! You made some really good points. Gidge, please get help. I'm in my 50's and all the years that I never got treatment, I just white knuckled through. It's so important to get professional help. Unforunately all mental health professionals are not that effective or they don't "get it" because they don't have ice running through their veins and nightmares and flashbacks. They just don't understand what we go through. I found it difficult to find a PTSD specialist but it's not impossible.

One thing that I want to mention. I used to admit myself in psychiatric hospitals when my PTSD symptom got really bad. All they have to do (in Admitting) is to hear aboutt my childhood history and I'm admitted immediately. My brother and sister both committed suicide. But mental hospitals (at least in the U.S.) are being used to get homeless people off the street, for people coming off of drugs or alcohol abuse or for dangerous people. True, there are many people who are just extremely depressed. But my doctor and I decided that I will never admit myself into a mental ward again. The noise and insanity that you are exposed when you are in the hospital did more damage to me than help. The professional staff end up giving you tons of medication so that you can remain calm and sleep. I am sure that others who have been hospitalized in psyche ward will agree. I wish they would have better facilities (like very quiet and sedate environments) for PTSD sufferers to escape to when they are getting pushed to their limits. Sometimes all I want is a quiet place away from noise and conflict but as my doctor told me her other patients who thought that a mental ward would provide that were very disappointed.

This is not true if you in danger of harming yourself or someone else. Safety first!!

Hugs,
Gloria

 

[Kristin]

Noise is what most often triggers my panic attacks. For me though, it seems like one loud noise draws my attention to the lower noises going on around me until I am aware of too many sounds. It feels like it just becomes too much. I never had panic attacks before my traumatic event.

 

[shadowchaser]

I have an extreme startle response. Noises are horrible for me. I feel like I've jumped right out of my skin when they happen. I love my i pod because of this. I almost always have them on. I know it limits my socialization but it keeps my ears tuned to noise so I don't jump as often.

 

[Reclusive]

I felt so bad the other day. I was at the grocery store, done with my shopping and putting my bags in the trunk. As I was putting the last one in and making sure they were secure, the cart-boy came up and said he was taking my cart. I leaped away from him, yelped and then swore like a sailor. And then apologized profusely. My BP went up so fast I thought I was going to faint. Stupid everyday things. And I still won't walk down that one aisle in the store.....

 

[shadowchaser]

. I leaped away from him, yelped and then swore like a sailor. And then apologized profusely. My BP went up so fast I thought I was going to faint. Stupid everyday things.

I do this almost daily. People have learned to actually tell me when they are coming into a room and to not touch or walk into my vision when I'm zoned out with my head phones on.

 

[Reclusive]

In one of the other places we lived my fiance would do that "I'm coming down the hall" but it got to the point where him hollering before coming in startled me. I now have it so I can see down the hallway from my desk, so that's a lot better. When I was younger, before all the crap, I was jumpy. Now it's just absurd. And I keep getting more and more jumpy - it's not going away at all.

 

[KP the nut]

I am slowly overcoming my panic attacks over sirens. The building in which I work is naxt to the ambulance station so it is a regular occurence. At first I was a startled cat but it is becoming easier. I can now breate through it, smell my lemoil oit and/or hold my crystal turtle.

Yesterday was bad as a major incident happened outside work. All the services were there sirens screaming, but I did good, I controlled the fear.

Maybe this is the start of regaining control - I hope so

 

[BrazenBull]

Same here, :| Loud sudden noises just freak me the f*ck out.

Also when I'm trying to hear someone talk, and its in a noisy environment all I hear coming out of the persons mouth is "BKGJBSKJBGjwkbgjkWWRJKGBAKJEN" Then I just smile and nod yes and hope it wasn't an open ended question. :X

Don't get me wrong, nothings wrong with my ears, and I have been told that I am amazing listener (although not much of a talker). I just cant seem to single one voice or sound out from the rest. I HAVE to listen to everything.

 

[Reclusive]

There's this thing they call the cocktail party effect. It's the ability that people have to focus their hearing on just 1 conversation in a room full of conversations. Personally, I can't do this. I can't listen to music AND talk to someone. If two people talk to me at once, I don't understand either of them, and if I'm in a room full of people talking, I just hear random white noise. I think that's probably like what you're saying, Brazenbull? And the more people you add, the worse my startle response gets, so I NEED to be in a corner.

 

[Gamereign555]

It seems like every time I wake up it was because the cat knocked something over. I tend to be a little jumpy myself even exhibiting anxiety symptoms due to noises.
Its also a common topic in social anxiety disorder forums. Of course to a more extreme degree there is something out there called Acousticophobia you could check that one out if your so inclined.