Noise

[Enaila]

I wish people could understand sometimes how loud they are being. My friend tells me she isn't loud and I am just being hypersensitive. She is right I suppose. The sirens in the distance, child yelling, doors closing, road traffic, silverware clanking, and all the voices at once send me on overload while eating out.

I am thinking how silence would be nice for a short time, but scrap the idea of earplugs or ear buds as how am I to remain vigilant if I can't hear.....and there is the dilemma.

I do not know how to lessen my hypervigilance. It affects my daily life in so many ways. I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of the worry and anxiety. I'm tired of the external noise and the internal noise as well.

 

[Fadeaway]

I have been on both sides of this. I often get super hypersensitive to noise. The sounds of plastic bags from the grocery store rustling, the sound of the keyboard or mouse clicks... the noises are painful and they make my teeth ache for some reason.

That said I have also been told I have no volume control on my voice. I literally can not tell sometimes how loud or quiet I am speaking. This has been a source of great distress since childhood and I was punished many times for it. It has been a source of embarrassment as an adult.

I think it stems from a bit of dissociation, because other people speaking will sound garbled. The volume is fine but I struggle to understand the words.

 

[Powder]

Do you notice that Noise levels seem louder to you during anxiety and near to triggered time periods?

This, for me, is a sign of being what I call "triggery."

I deal with it by self care, rest, relaxation, and/or facing whatever the trigger is that I'm trying to ignore.

@Fadeaway I get the tooth aches, too! It's one of my more rare PTSD symptoms. I think it's because of grinding during sleep during triggery times, and also moving my mouth unconsciously during the day due to anxiety.

I also found Clonidine makes my tooth pain more sharp and dental pain after procedures intolerable. I went off it and keep just a bit on hand for major flashbacks.

 

[Enaila]

Do you notice that Noise levels seem louder to you during anxiety and near to triggered time periods?

This...

The sensitivity does seem to be worse during times right before I remember something new from my traumas. I never thought about that before and it is definitely possible there is a connection. Thank you for the insight and thank you for a way to name it! I like the word "triggery!" :)

 

[ladee]

I totally understand this. What both of you shared. Sometimes when I am so hypersensitive to noise, it sounds as if someone is 'chewing' their words. Garbled, low volume. When I feel like this, I feel like I am coming out of my skin... I start to get so agitated I have had to leave public places, restaurants in the middle of a meal, I just know I am going to flip out so I leave.. I want to stand up and scream..... EVERYONE GET QUITE FOR GODS SAKE !!!

 

[Powder]

Oh, @ladee

That is one I have while dissociating. I forgot about that one until just now when I read your description.

How that one plays out for me is that I am actively dissociating and yet trying to be present at the time time. I start to get inpatient and tell others that they are mumbling. I get really angry and out of proportion with it, and then someone says, "No, they're not mumbling." And then it dawns on me that I'm angry and can't figure out why, so "it's me, not them" finally clicks.

That is a different thing for me, where the sound literally starts to cut out. It's different than when the volume sounds too high.

Too high for me = anxiety levels are high and hypervigilence is turned on. Dissociation is low. Senses are supercharged and uncomfortably acute. Positive symptom.

Garbled and chewed up = dissociation at a high enough level that I experiencing "negative PTSD symptoms" aka. loss of sensory processing.

They are both something to take note of and look for the trigger and process the emotions.

 

[ladee]

I wish the noise would cut out.. and I too start to feel my self dissociating...because the noise intensifies... so I have to leave before I do or say something totally rude and unjustified....And I know it's me... but all the deep breathing in the world isn't going to settle it down until I get out of there.... embarrassing at times.. but better leaving than making a complete ass of myself.

 

[Mafia_Science]

I totally understand. I struggle with this constantly. I got diagnosed with hyperacusis, when sounds are amplified. It's gotten better and my doctor says its temporary in my case.

I understand how annoying it is. Loud people aren't just annoying, they're painful, and I think it should be widely known, but it isn't.

I don't let it take control of my life though. If I want to go to a loud place, I go. For the first few minutes it's unbearably loud, but I start to get accustomed to if and it fades to background noise.

As for the general hyper vigilance, I kind of understand. I don't have severe hyper vigilance, but I constantly find that my shoulders are always tense, and it hurts. I flinch at the slightest thing. It doesn't tire me, but to an extreme level I understand how it could.

I find that meditation, exercise, and cold or hot compress on the neck or forehead calm my hypervigilance if it gets too far.

 

[ladee]

@Mafia_Science, I also have the diagnosis of hyperacusus!!! I used to go to a hairdresser that talked so loud my eardrums vibrated... I stopped going to her.. people just don't understand and when I am on overdrive with this, I take care of myself by not putting myself in these situations... or try to.... Happy to hear you have learned to manage yours...
And never tried the compresses for hyper vigilance... thanks, going to try that....

 

[EveHarrington]

I'm a bit sad that a friend would just tell you that you're being hypersensitive. My interpretation of this is that she's blaming you (for something you can't control) instead of saying "hey, I'm sorry, I'll try to speak in a lower tone." Maybe she was being defensive instead of realizing you weren't being critical of her as this is truly a struggle.

I'm sort of flashing on those memories of people telling me I'm just being (emotionally) sensitive. And while there are therapeutic methods which can help to reduce/cope with emotional sensitivity, it's a little bit different when dealing with sensitivity relating to our 5 senses.

Nobody would ever blame an autistic person for being overstimulated so I don't think it's fair to blame a PTSD person for being hypersensitive. I realize it is a little different, but similar enough IMHO for a comparison to be made.

 

[Enaila]

Oh, @ladee

That is one I have while dissociating. I forgot about that one until just n...

Processing emotions....I'm still struggling big time with this. I do know what you mean about garbled sounding. Next time I get impatient with my friend for mumbling, I will try to remember to stop and see if I have been disassociate. Thank you for helping me get more in tune with how I am feeling.

 

[Fadeaway]

@Muse does your toothaches happen outside of hearing the actual noise? Mine only hurt during the sound but stops immediately when the sound stops.