Poll PTSD And Hearing Problems

[Invisible-Guy]

I put yes, but not because things are inaudible, I just can't process things correctly. Sometimes I have to have things explained to me 3 times or more. Frustrating, before PTSD I was happily working on my third degree, and with honors. :( Now it takes me two hours to watch 60 minutes.

 

[Estacia]

I have been partially deaf since birth. I'm sure the PTSD in addition to my partial deafness does not help.

 

[Changing4Best]

I just can't process things correctly. Sometimes I have to have things explained to me 3 times or more.

You are not alone on this. I too sometimes cannot figure out what someone is saying or I drift off into my own thoughts in the middle of what someone is saying. This happens especially if I am not interested in their topic or if they say something that triggers me. The other thing I noticed this past week is that if I do not like someone, or I feel they don't like me, I tend to discount or forget altogether what they have said to me. I caught myself doing this last week. I actually was pleased I'd done it too, as the person had so often shown me that he did not like me, that he discounts my input, that I thought to myself that it was about time he got some of his own medicine!

 

[Invisible-Guy]

Absolutely, if something in what was being said is a trigger, I'm gone in the wind. The perpetuating thoughts take over.

 

[Philippa]

Wow, this is really interesting.

I have had issues with hearing since I was 18. I found the world was too noisy and I had to retreat. I became quite reclusive, but I was happy about it. Being surrounded by people talking about nothing really started to get to me, and I prefer the quiet.

In my early twenties I had real issues with over active wax in my ears, and I tried everything, but nothing would help. I actually concluded it was my body protecting me from the noise of the world. It started to get scary in my late twenties though, when I lost hearing in one ear all together, and could barely hear out of the other. This lasted a few months, and no amount of syringing seemed to help.

Eventually it did, and I got my hearing back. I then discovered that my grandmother had the same issue. I had no idea over active wax glands in the ear were a genetic trait!

I never considered that it might be linked to PTSD. I used to have terrible trouble discerning what people were talking about when they spoke to me...but not from hearing troubles, more that I just didn't seem to be able to take it all in or process it.

 

[Changing4Best]

I think it works the other way around too, I hate hearing unexpected banging noises or loud noises and also sirens...

These give me the creeps or are very annoying.

 

[Unknown Victim]

Yes. I use to play the music sooo loud to destroy my hearing. When I was a kid and had hyper sensitive hearing I couldn't study, read, etc.