About Noises & Triggers

[Jagged Angel]

I experience sensory fragility (my own term) - anything too bright, too loud, too spicy, too hot/cold, any touch too sudden or smell too strong.

I thought I was alone in this one. I too cannot cope with anything that is 'too' (too loud, too bright, too strong, too sudden, etc.). I had never thought about it before, but that does include food - too spicy, too hot, too cold. And light - I am very light sensitive to the point where I sometimes need to wear sunglasses or a baseball cap inside to ease the pain from the lights.

I like the term 'sensory fragility'

 

[dust]

Car horns trigger me, so do loud breaks on vehicles. People shouting can send me out of my skin, if I see/hear a child cry I crumple and cry myself.

 

[Mercy]

This is such a good topic to help air our difficulties and try to support one another.

I am a very visual person so all kinds of things scare me. The guy on the Quaker oatmeal box, the color red, men's belts. I know most of my triggers and sometimes I think I have some all worked out only to be surprised again and again.

New medical PET scan research shows that our old animal survival brain lights up in response to a trigger before our thinking brain is aware of it. The chemical cascade has already started without our being aware of it and there for cannot have any control over being triggered. What we do have control over is how we will let ourselves react to them. For me, each different trigger needs to be managed in a different way. Even a well known trigger may have to be handled differently than the day before.

I've tried to involve other senses so as to defuse the huge trigger that the change in fall colored leaves causes me to be terrorized. I ate starbursts one color as necessary. If I was being triggered by yellow then a yellow starburst. Didn't work oh well.....

 

[sidekick]

Some of my triggers are ones that have been mentioned: Loud noises, weapons of any sort, violence, someone coming up behind me, a child crying or screaming, a dirty child/person, hot/cold water, mold/mildew smell, cleaning supplies or chemicals (but only once in a while~it's a hit or miss with that one which makes it hard), certain other smells, certain touches.

Over the years these things would not have the same affect on me. I think it would depend on where I was in my life. If there was a crisis going on, if I was not in therapy and so on things were worse.

I seem to be able to handle things on tv better then in real life. If I see a child cry/scream or a fight in real life then I just begin to break down inside. I have noticed though that over the last few years I have slowly been changing what I watch. I can no longer watch the scary movies I use to crave or the violent ones. I can't stomach them any longer. Too many triggers the last few years I guess.

 

[LoveWins]

Door slamming or anything excessively loud or violent
Certain songs-Unfortunately my abuser had broad music taste and played the songs during my abuse. I have tried desensitising myself to these through exposure which has helped to take the edge off, but some are still a major trigger. I have to leave shops etc if they have the songs (which unfortunately are common) on
Sometimes the language my abuser spoke. Usually only certain words, or spoken by men. I've made good progress with this through exposure, I used to be a lot worse with it

 

[becvan]

Noises are one of the worst for me. Anything that is sudden is a trigger. Bangs, yelling, doors, car back-fires, construction.. etc.. Background noise also sends me over the edge. If it drowns out the surface sounds.. then my anxiety goes through the roof.

I come at this from a different angle though. I don't try to control the noise or know when it's going to hit. Instead I focus on me, my body and my reactions. Knowing how my general stress level is for the day, will tell me how bad my reactions will be. I know that my reactions are both physical and mental. When I have a reaction I just note both aspects. I accept them. It is simply part of who I am. This makes it much more bearable for me. My reactions are over with quickly. I don't judge nor make excuses for it. It just is.

I also give myself non-noise downtime. I have a little sanctuary built into my room. I put on a movie and engage in a relaxing hobby and take time outs when I need them. Sometimes, I put on headphones and just drown out the world for awhile.

I still react to noise all the time, but it doesn't bother me anymore. My coping methods work well for me and really I barely notice what I'm doing as it's so automatic.

bec

 

[Perdido]

1) First, do you get triggered by noises? If so, what types of noises trigger you? What do you do to help yourself survive these triggering noises?

Yes, noises trigger me, especially those that are unexpected. Fireworks, gunshots, car horns, a knock on the door, emergency vehicles, panic in the voice of someone else, my phone vibrating on a desk, almost any electronic noise that comes outta nowhere. What do I do to "survive" these noises? I usually just cuss under my breath, take a deep breath and wish it would all go away.

2) Are there any times that you haven't been triggered by a noise that would typically trigger you?
Yes. Sometimes, noises send a surge of adrenaline through my bloodstream, sometimes they don't.

3) If you know to expect a noise, does that make it any less triggering for you, or would you still be triggered by it the same every time?

It depends. Sometimes, my body treats the second occurrence of a noise as a new threat. I recall years ago, when email had just begun, that my computer would "ding" every time I received a new message. And it always scared the $hit out of me. So I devised a test: could I send myself a message (and therefore know that a "ding" would happen in a second or two) and not jump out of my seat? No, was the answer. I sent myself several messages, and each time responded as if it were an unexpected, serious threat. I'm better these days -- my hyper startle reflex seems to have chilled a bit, but it's still bad and remains one of my most constant symptoms of PTSD.

Best wishes on your journey ... Perdido