Cannot Handle Noise At Work

[Muncher72]

I posted before about being worried holding down a job with PTSD. I've managed to keep this job going on 6 weeks. I am proud of that but I feel like every day is a huge struggle. There is so much noise and yelling going on in this restaurant my poor nerves cannot handle it, or rather, I am barely handling it.

I have discussed this with my doctor and case manager and all seem to think I may need to find new employment but I don't want to add to the list of jobs I have quit due to stress.

It angers me that my anxiety is so to the limit that the slightest increase sends me over the edge. I don't want to wine about this but would rather ask for advice from some members who have experienced work place anxiety. When should I throw in the towel? Before or after the meltdown that is sure to come if this keeps up.

 

[James B.]

Hyper-sensitivities to environmental stresses (auditory and visual) has been a big problem for me.

My best results has been from addressing my anxiety disorder. For me (this is very individualized) Seroquel XR 50mg. @ night really helped; it coated my senses, and gave me some clarity to begin addressing the rest. Seems like a matrix of underlying stuff fueling anxiety disorder. Reducing carbohydrates has helped, starting EFT basic skills has helped, too. Sorry you're struggling with this at work, can understand how upsetting it can be.

 

[Dougal]

Only you can decide whether to change jobs or not. Speaking from my own experience I tend to try and make decisions when I am well, when I have not exhausted emotional resources. It is such hard work to get oneself back to a functional level. So rather than wait ’til you hit rock bottom, it might make sense to start looking for another job whilst you are in a proactive mindset.

You mention that you work in the food service area. You seem to enjoy this as per your statement about feeling proud of working at this particular restaurant for six weeks. I don’t know what the feasibility is of this in your locale, but might it be a consideration to work at a smaller establishment or in a different area of food services?
CM

 

[Dougal]

Have you considered treatment to target some of the sensory disconnects you are experiencing? PTSD does affect neuronal pathways. Connections in the brain do atrophy. You could be experiencing a sensory processing issue. When the neurons become damaged, information can become stuck in the nervous system.

I’m not a medical person so this is the layman’s version. Our neurological system takes in sensory information. The brain organizes and makes sense of it. This enables us to complete actions. We use sensory processing abilities for social interaction, motor skill development, and focusing and attending.


The systems most people talk about related to PTSD seem to be Vestibular (where am I in space), Auditory (one’s ability to correctly perceive, discriminate and respond to sounds), Olfactory (processing and responding to different odours), and Visual (processing and responding to what one sees).

It is the frequency, intensity, duration and functional impact of these symptoms which determines dysfunction.

In terms of auditory, there is an approach called Therapeutic Listening. There is a full protocol to administering this therapy but basically music is electronically altered causing the muscles in the middle ear to contract, helping to modulate and discriminate sound input. This is not psychotherapy. Therapeutic Listening is generally administered by an Occupational Therapist. It requires the therapist have certification.

I tried to find the research related to PTSD but could not find the link. If you think this might help, I would look at the work of Sheila M. Frick and Colleen Hacker. If you google Vital Links, you will connect with their site.

There is a Contact Us link on their site and I am sure if you were to submit a question related to PTSD, they would direct you to the appropriate research.

Most of the information on line is directed towards children with a Sensory Integration Disorder and Autism. This is largely to date the population group that has availed of this therapy. There is work being done with adults. You'll need to keep digging. If nothing more, a good read. Trust this helps.

CM

 

[James B.]

When the neurons become damaged, information can become stuck in the nervous system. CM

Thanks CM, makes a lot of sense from my experience, both over the years and recently. Appreciate how you put it in a nutshell easy to grasp.

 

[a3a2]

I sympathize. I have a very difficult time tolerating noise. Even the bathroom fan annoys me. I can only imagine what it would be like to work in a restaurant with dishes banging and people yelling. I found that working through my trauma in therapy has helped my tolerance, but I am certainly still sensative.

 

[kers]

I work in a noisy place and it can be very difficult at times. As a3a2 says, treating the trauma as a whole has helped the most. So has learning strategies to manage the noise--I try to let much of it become a dull roar and focus on just one thing. It means crawling inside of my head a bit, but it is a way to cope. I also take bathroom breaks when I just need some quiet to take deep breaths and get my center back.

It is a very individual decision, whether or not to manage the noise and hectic nature of some workplaces.

 

[Daisy_May]

I also suffer from this. If a neighbour I do not know has base playing in their apartment, or if I can hear someone's tv too loud, I cannot ignore it. My stress goes up and up and up until I put in earplugs or leave.

Last summer I had noisy teenagers living downstairs, and I overreacted-I googled websites for people to complain and posted about them on noisy neighbours forums to complain, I told everyone at work about it, I was obsessed with their invasion of my privacy. But it was to the point where the base was so loud my dishes would be shaking in the cupboard and my couch vibrating. I called the police and the landlord every time. They finally got an eviction notice and the couple broke up-the girl stayed, no problems now and I chat with her when I see her.

Anyway point is other people seem to tolerate things far far better than me, and it adds to my frustrations of feeling different, bad, wrong, stupid or irrational compared to 'normal' people.

But to reply to your thread, restaurants are noisy, very stressful places. These test the limits of anyone, especially when the cooks are behind and you're dropping or forgetting orders and you're swamped working on your own, or the worst rude and complaining customers.

I would consider work in a retail environment--much slower paced, easier to get away from crabby coworkers, quiet and you can find little jobs or duties to soothe yourself, like folding clothes or arranging displays. Do you have any education to get an office job?

Good luck!