I've noticed recently that I seem to be more sensitive to noise than those around me. Sitting in the living room at my parent's house with the dog licking his leg, a rocker/recliner brushing against a paper or plastic bag, a slipper or foot brushing against the carpet repeatedly, the TV, and conversation, I feel it start to come on. I also feel it at work when there are 3 different conversations going on behind me at once. Electronic game noises and repetitive music, like when a DVD is waiting to be started or when playing a game on the computer for example, get it going too. I don't have an extreme reaction, but I feel myself tense up, my heartrate increases, and I get irritable and feel like I need to do something or I am going to explode. Usually what works is I either leave the room for a bit or I do what I can to stop the additional noises, if I can. Thank you for your article! It's comforting that there are others who also experience this and that there are ways to cope.
Could this be related to Hyperacusis? My Girlfriend has sensity to sound, not causing panic attacks but very irritable and sometimes has to leave the room. Or if in a car and another car's loud music comes by she can't handle it and has to go home. I am looking into things that could cause this and came across this article on Hypercusis (not sure if i got the spelling right)
http://www.acenta.com/audiology.soundsensitivity.asp
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Repetitious sounds, such as music played on some dvds prior to one's selecting an episode (in a tv series) that repeats until the selection is made, can cause me intense anxiety.
The noise of the PA system in use in WalMart stores quickly "gets under my skin." This noise, plus various other factors like the huge size of the stores and the number of customers, has resulted in my rarely entering a WalMart.
I'm not as good with use of coping skills as you, Merely Me. I use an anti-anxiety medication to cope. Taking it a half hour or so before the anxiety-producing situation happens, if I know I will be encountering such, works best for me.
patsy