Repetitive sounds bother me...help!

[shymomma]

Hi. I'm sure that I have a multitude of anxiety issues however this one seems to get in the way the most. Sounds bother me all the time. Like someone chewing or tapping or banging on something repetitively. My SO says to just ignore it but I just can't no matter how hard I try to. It makes me irritable when I hear these sounds. When my son is a constant noise maker he sings constantly and talks constantly so much so that other people have commented about it. When he is playing and hammering something repetitvley or drops toys on the floor over and over again the sound drives me nuts. I have to tell him to stop doing it. When I'm at the movies and someone is chewing popcorn anywhere in the movie theater it bothers me so much I can't pay attention to the movie. I would do anything to have this problem go away but it only seems to get worse and I've had it for years now. Any clue what its called or how to make it better? Thanks in advance.

[Kon]

I think it might be misophonia. I suffer from it. Does this sound familiar?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia

[shymomma]

That is absolutely it! Thank you so much! Is there any cure or anything that makes it bearable for you?

[Kon]

Originally Posted by shymomma

That is absolutely it! Thank you so much! Is there any cure or anything that makes it bearable for you?

No cure. Benzodiazepine-type drugs definitely helped me. They also helped with anxiety issues. There are some drugs that have been looked at for autistic people that might one day be useful but nothing useful at present. I've been thinking about getting these active noise canceling headphones for my sound issues. Not sure if they will help?

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-NC60-Headphones-canceling/dp/B000OQ5OOM

[racingmind]

Yup i used to have something like that. You are focusing subconciously on certain things and your mind cannot filter it. over-focusing is definitely an anxiety issue, and may be OCD as well. Are you irritable? Small things used to tick me off. irritablity is the biggest sign of a mood disorder, in which case, you would need to address by finding treatments such as SSRIs, Stabilizers, maoi, etc...

I suspect OCD more than anything though.

[kolaida]

I have this same exact problem. Especially when people chew (heck, when I chew!) and, yeah, I totally feel like I've wasted money when I go to the movies because I just wind up focusing on the annoying sound of people chewing on their popcorn!!

[shymomma]

Originally Posted by racingmind

Yup i used to have something like that. You are focusing subconciously on certain things and your mind cannot filter it. over-focusing is definitely an anxiety issue, and may be OCD as well. Are you irritable? Small things used to tick me off. irritablity is the biggest sign of a mood disorder, in which case, you would need to address by finding treatments such as SSRIs, Stabilizers, maoi, etc...

I suspect OCD more than anything though.

I'm totally irritable and on edge almost all of the time. It just has to be one little thing and I get set off. Its like the feeling of stress and irritability is always looming in the background just waiting to happen. How do I make it stop? What has worked for you? I do think that I have some OCD as I obsess about cleaning my house when someone is coming over even though its small and there is no where (literally no where) to store things. I have to be in control of things too and I like for everything to be perfect all the time. Its hard for me to let things go and to just relax. I never sit still because I am always trying to make things better.

[shymomma]

Originally Posted by kolaida

I have this same exact problem. Especially when people chew (heck, when I chew!) and, yeah, I totally feel like I've wasted money when I go to the movies because I just wind up focusing on the annoying sound of people chewing on their popcorn!!

My husband and son are loud chewers (other people have told them that too lol) so I can't even eat next to them without having to get up and go to another room. Its okay if the TV is turned up loud and I can't hear them though. I'm glad to know that there is someone else out there who can't watch movies because of the chewing lol

[Neptunus]

I have the same problem too. I suspect it's an OCD tendency as well.

[rockyraccoon]

I have the same problem. I was diagnosed with misophonia in the summer. I won't even go to movies until the movie is just about to be yanked from the theatre, that way there is less people in the theatre. My biggest irritant is the sniffles. Absolutely drives me nuts. I have to take my mp3 player with me whenever I go out. Hearing people chew their food or seeing people chew with their mouth open is also a huge irritant.

I did some research about this with my dr and she said that this irritability is one manifestation of bipolar level 2. Some people with bipolar 2 experience hypomania, which is a milder form of mania. With hypomania, some people become productive and enjoy this stage of their illness. But the exact opposite can happen. With some bipolar 2 people, their hypomania exibits itself in the form of extreme irritability. Just something to think about.

[Kon]

Does anybody here have other sensitivity issues (touch, smell, visual, etc.) and/or Asperger's type characteristics (overly, narrow and intense obsessions/interests)?

[rockyraccoon]

Originally Posted by Kon

Does anybody here have other sensitivity issues (touch, smell, visual, etc.) and/or Asperger's type characteristics (overly, narrow and intense obsessions/interests)?

For me it's purely certain sounds that irritate me. They tested me for Asperger's Syndrome and it came up negative. But I do have OCD (along with other disorders/depression).

[jenkydora]

I've got nylon rope that is attached to metal links under my verandah and I hate hate hate using this to hang up my washing, it wont stop raining here and the noise that runs through the nylon from the metal links is driving me nuts.
I hate crinkly plastic bags too and my daughter has sung the same tune for the past couple of years and I am close to a meltdown.
I just thought I had little patience and a loose trigger.

[racingmind]

Originally Posted by shymomma

I'm totally irritable and on edge almost all of the time. It just has to be one little thing and I get set off. Its like the feeling of stress and irritability is always looming in the background just waiting to happen. How do I make it stop? What has worked for you? I do think that I have some OCD as I obsess about cleaning my house when someone is coming over even though its small and there is no where (literally no where) to store things. I have to be in control of things too and I like for everything to be perfect all the time. Its hard for me to let things go and to just relax. I never sit still because I am always trying to make things better.

Well, irritability is a hallmark symptom of bipolar disorder. see if you have any symptoms matching hypomania. if you do have BPII then low dose lithium orotate would work, it takes the stress off me. St Johns wort (perka/Kira extract) has worked well also.

[shymomma]

Originally Posted by racingmind

Well, irritability is a hallmark symptom of bipolar disorder. see if you have any symptoms matching hypomania. if you do have BPII then low dose lithium orotate would work, it takes the stress off me. St Johns wort (perka/Kira extract) has worked well also.

I was once diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 5 years ago but I had a lot of stress and a new baby with basically no one to help me so I was at a breaking point really. It seems the more stress I am under the worse my symptoms get. I'll check out the hypomania link. Thanks

[kid a]

same here . they also get stuck inside my head in a way where i will actually keep hearing them but there not really there. especially when im tired. i wokeup to my moms alarm clock an for the next hour i couldnt get it out of my head, its not like a song you get stuck in your head its like i can actually hear it clearly an it sounds just as far away as it was before an everything but its not really on, and i keept checking an it was off. it also happened with my yahoo messenger buzz ring its annoying , most sounds bother me now its like my ears went sensitive on me. like when im falling asleep ill hear very tiny noises an then for a while ill keep hearing it when its not there

[cubedweller]

Wow, I'm not alone! I sit in a cubical in an office and I have a neighbor who insists on whacking his computer mouse with this thumb all day.. Its loud and he probably hits that thing every 10 seconds eight hours a day... apparently he doesn't know how to scroll using the ball on the mouse and instead uses his thumb to pound on the button. It drives me absolutely to the point of hysteria! I feel my heart race with anxiety when I hear it! I want to go over to his computer so badly and yank that mouse right out of his computer! I have earplugs AND music headphones over the ear plugs and his pounding is so loud it seeps in! Then I get in trouble when I have a phone call or someone is trying to get my attention becuase I'm all plugged up! I've tried hypnosis and that was a waste of 700.00!!! People whistling at their desk drives me crazy too. However this idiot next to me is the worst! I've tried to talk to him about it and he says that he can't help it! I can't wait for the day when I can work from home! FOREVER!

[Neptunus]

Originally Posted by cubedweller

Wow, I'm not alone! I sit in a cubical in an office and I have a neighbor who insists on whacking his computer mouse with this thumb all day.. Its loud and he probably hits that thing every 10 seconds eight hours a day... apparently he doesn't know how to scroll using the ball on the mouse and instead uses his thumb to pound on the button. It drives me absolutely to the point of hysteria! I feel my heart race with anxiety when I hear it! I want to go over to his computer so badly and yank that mouse right out of his computer! I have earplugs AND music headphones over the ear plugs and his pounding is so loud it seeps in! Then I get in trouble when I have a phone call or someone is trying to get my attention becuase I'm all plugged up! I've tried hypnosis and that was a waste of 700.00!!! People whistling at their desk drives me crazy too. However this idiot next to me is the worst! I've tried to talk to him about it and he says that he can't help it! I can't wait for the day when I can work from home! FOREVER!

Your story reminded me of this video! I guess it's real, then someone used it for a commercial.

[iamnotaghost]

I have this, too.


I hate:
--loud chewing. I was in the breakroom at work yesterday and the security guard brought his plate of food in (oh no!). He was the worst I've ever heard. It was like he was all tongue and didn't chew at all. He smacked so loudly, I kind of thought he was doing it on purpose (impossible, of course).
--sniffling
--throat sounds
--people chewing gum
--people chewing gum and breathing heavily
--noisy breathing
--my own eating sounds
--the way some people type on the computer - really loud and fast

Sometimes, I can take it and then, I'm able to eat with people. But I usually avoid people who I know are loud eaters. And I rely on my music and earphones a lot

[Albert11]

Wow, I didn’t know this actually had a name. I thought it was just part of depression symptoms. Clocks ticking, fans whirling, people drumming their fingers, oh yes and junior high kids, sorry I love my kids but I can’t’ stand to listen to them. Sometimes I can’t even listen to music. Remember those white noise radios? OMG freaking torture!! I have always been sound sensitive. I have to have a pillow over my head and ear plugs to sleep.