Does Sound Make Your Anxiety Worse?

[intothelight]

I cannot stand a raised male voice, and it will send me into a complete panic attack. Yet, children playing, arguing or talking all at once does not bother me at all. Too many phone calls and adults seeking my attention can make me shut down, but put the same activities with children and there is no shut down.

Basically, there are the same sounds and levels, but created by two different groups of people. Ultimately, two completely different responses on my part.

So basically, I set boundaries. No raised voices allowed at home or work. Everyone has to approach me one at a time, and if the phone rings, have a seat and don't hover. I will get to them next. If my extended family doesn't honor it, it warn them that I will hang up or leave if they do not settle down. If they don't then I do. No second chances.

 

[a3a2]

People arguing and raised voices throw me into a complete panic. Party noise exhausts me! I have a low tolerance for noise, but it got a lot better once I went through therapy and dealt with some of the trauma...especially when dealing with my kids. Ah-h-h-k-k! My husband just played some audio that is driving me nuts!

 

[ragdoll]

The same goes for me. My therapists says to go back to doing some of the things you loved doing. Music is way out. Too much noise. even my "whale music" -as my husband calls it doesnt work. My house is in complete silence all day. Avoidance I know but I can't handle the anxiety it increases. Your words of it getting better with therapy has given me hope.
Thanks..............Ragdoll

 

[seraphimfelldown]

I can't stand the phone ringing. I have it on answering machine so unless i know who it is I don't answer it. My daughter screaming sends me around the bend. Oh and the sound of the tv in the next room if all I can hear is bass stuff coming through into the room.

 

[Jazz60]

I can't cope with more than one sound at a time as I feel confused and overloaded. Sudden sounds startle me and my anxiety levels remain high for hours afterwards. Also some music lowers my mood and the effects can last for hours. I also find that I can't cope with any noises outside my home, as I feel as though I need to guard my home, but I can't go out to investigate what is going on due to my agorphobia which makes me feel trapped like a sitting duck.

I find that listening to a relaxation cd helps to block out other sounds and gives me positive affirmations.

 

[Elphaba]

I can't stand sudden noises like slamming doors or things being dropped in places with good acoustics. Depending on how I am feeling, I react to almost any type of noise. Voices and people talking are ok. Sudden shouting is not. On a real bad day, it is a nightmare to walk outside as I get startled when cars honk or the tram goes by. I notice that being near traffic raises my anxiety levels some.

I really hate the being startled by noise thing!

 

[BloomInWinter]

This seems to fit my experience exactly.

From Judith Hermann, "Trauma and Recovery: The aftermath of violence - from domestic abuse to political terror" (p. 36)

PTSD sufferers "do not have a normal 'baseline' level of alert but relaxed attention. Instead, they have an elevated baseline of arousal: their bodies are always on the alert for danger. They also have an extreme startle response to unexpected stimuli, as well as an intense reaction to specific stimuli associated with the traumatic event. it also appears that the traumatized people cannot 'tune out' repetitive stimuli that other people would find merely annoying; rather they respond to each repetition as though it were a new, and dangerous, surprise. The increase in arousal persists during sleep as well as in the waking state..."

Yes, this is me. Especially worse when I'm in a hypervigilant state.

 

[rjtransient]

This goes both ways with me. I'm really into music, and I'm actually not that comfortable with complete silence. If someone shouts at me over the music, though, I FREEZE. I need a second to compose myself when someone knocks on the door. I'm generally OK with loud noise only if I expect it. Two recent examples: I was taking a walk. Some teenagers down the street were playing with fireworks. I heard something go off, one of the girls was shrieking, and I froze. Again, this fall, I was in a public park enjoying the outdoors when someone fired a gunshot. Same response. And my trauma didn't involve combat or gunshot.

Even if I'm relaxed, or at least if I think I'm feeling relaxed, random noise strikes a nerve.

I can't stand shouting, or even muffled voices behind a door, as someone mentioned. If people are arguing, I can't drown it out; trying to listen to music or watch a video at the same time makes it worse.

 

[anni]

That 'freeze' thing!! I've never been able to put my finger on that, OR the 'need a moment to compose myself', but once again you've put something into words which has eluded me completely. YES! After that awful, awful stage where one jumps out of their skin ( and minds ) with every, single distruption from any 'normal' sound, that FREEZE thing set in. The kids now think it's hysterical to "BOO' me because I do NOT move- freeze instead and can't do much of anything. RJ, remember the information I wished for, and thought perhaps Herman had it? This was part of what I'd been looking for, since it just plain seemed so odd-like the nerve endings had all been sandpapered off and the startle reflex was gone. I'd assumed it must be part of some long-term thing but since you were possibly bumping into furniture in diapers when I was busy getting thrown down the stairs by my abuser, this doesn't quite fit. Quothe the greybeard. :)