How to deal with startle response

[CT_Girl]

How do you guys deal with startle response? Like when someone slams a door how do you deal with it? I need suggestions for how to deal with this at work.

 

[Muted]

I find it really weird, but my startle responses vary quite a bit. For me it depends on the environment and my level of stress. I've noticed that even in places where I feel generally safe, there are times I have almost no startle response, a delayed startle response or an extreme startle response. I also have varying degrees of sensitivity to noise. Certain noises I have almost no tolerance for.

The only solution that I know of is working through the trauma. I think it has in general lessened compared to when I was actually going through the trauma, but even then there were times I would be numb and pretty much shut it out.

 

[Nessa7]

If someone notices I usually tell that I'm a really jumpy person and laugh it off. I love horror movies and watch them all the time, so I'll say something about how funny it can be to watch me while I'm watching one. When my hypervigilance is at it's worst, it has made other people around me jumpy and anxious, so I feel better just addressing it and getting it out of the way.

 

[Deadman]

Like when someone slams a door how do you deal with it?

I growl at them :mad:. It works surprisingly well ;)

 

[Kate Van Sant]

How do you guys deal with startle response? Like when someone slams a door how do you deal with it? I n...

I'm 63 and I've never learned how to not jump at sudden sounds. It comes from growing up in mining campus in this country and in the Philippines where everybody had guns and used them. One of my therapists was buddies with a general and was telling him about startle response, and the retired general, about my age, realized that he still jumped whenever the phone rang (this was before cell phones). So I don't have any answers, except to let the people close to you know that you shouldn't be startled and not to freak if you react to sudden noises.

 

[desiderata310]

Before I knew I had PTSD, I had a ridiculous startle response. The guys at work thought it was great fun to set things up where I would walk in on cut outs of Elvis (left over from a previous event) standing at the top of the stair in the dark, or to come up on me from behind, etc.
I was their boss and they were doing it all in the name of fun. I tried mightily to laugh it off.

This all actually continued till one day when it happened, I screeched and burst into tears. There was just no stopping it. They all knew that at the time my soon-to-be-ex had been stalking me.

It never happened again. Turns out they all felt like giant heels for making the boss cry.

I don't have answers that are satisfactory but I know what you mean.

 

[Deadman]

How do you guys deal with startle response? Like when someone slams a door how do you deal with it?

OK I've read and re-read this and I'm not sure I understand. A startle response to sudden, a possibly threatening stimulus is normal. Its not the noise or the response that is the problem.

If someone is deliberately trying to startle you that can be a problem. If there is no intention to cause distress then maybe you just need to talk to your co-workers and explain that you are easily startled. Most people want to be good. Sometimes they just don't understand.

 

[Enaila]

I generally try hard not to get upset with myself when I startle, as something I have no control over, but I still get aggravated. I have taught myself to jerk my arms inward across my chest instead of striking outward. This generally works, though I have slugged a couple people rather hard...one at a play I was watching and something made a loud sudden noise and the other was a door which caught and then slammed. I just apologized. At least they both were people I knew. I have tried to figure out if I startle more when my guard is down, like when I am with people I trust, or when I am hyper-vigilant. I think more when I am feeling safe. I do know if I have had a super stressful day the startles are worse. If I know there might be something which startles me because of where I am, I intertwine my fingers and hold my hands together.

 

[CT_Girl]

Thanks I appreciate all your suggestions

 

[Nessa7]

@Enaila got me thinking, and I did have a theory recently that my startle response was worse when I was tired. My guess is that I'm not noticing as much of my surroundings so it is easier for something to sneak past my awareness and startle me.

 

[Buddyholly09]

I noticed mine varies depending on the amount of stress.

 

[Tinyflame]

noticing as much of my surroundings so it is easier for something to sneak past my awareness and startle me.

I find this also, and after decades mine feels internalizefd; that is, I start to a less degree, but mostly I always feel my heart jump to my throat. Mostly I think I can hide it pretty well. But the racing heart and shakes or sweating (my forehead/ hairline esp), can happen. The racing heart always, and it lasts, & an extreme cold feeling.