I get startled easily when there’s sudden sounds.
Would like to ask if this is normal or I should get it checked.
i.e. speeding motorcycle, loud bang, thunder, popping sounds
For the most part, I would jump when I hear such sounds. It doesn’t seem as much as a specific sound that I am more sensitive to but sounds that catch me offguard. It will take me a few minutes to calm myself down and bring down my breathing to a normal rate. Sometimes I lose sleep over this since my bedroom is facing the main road.
I do think that I am more sensitive to sounds more than others. For example, I do get frustrated with chewing sounds or clicking of pens to some extent.
If my aversion to sounds is not normal, how do I go about getting it under control?
Thank you for sharing your feelings with us here on this platform, I commend you for taking the courage to be authentic with us. I understand that you’ve been experiencing a heightened sensitivity to sudden sounds and that it’s causing you distress.
Your description suggests that you may have a heightened startle response, which can be due to various factors, including heightened anxiety or stress levels. It’s important to explore this further to better understand the root cause and determine the most appropriate strategies to help you manage your sensitivity to sounds.
You also mentioned that this sensitivity extends to other sounds, such as chewing or clicking of pens, which could be indicative of a condition known as misophonia. Although we are not able to diagnose on this platform or on social media, it might be useful to know what Misophonia is – it is a heightened emotional response to specific sounds, and it can also be associated with heightened sensitivity to unexpected noises.
I would recommend reaching out to a mental health professional, such as a therapist or psychologist, who can provide you with a comprehensive assessment and work with you to develop strategies to manage your sensitivity to sounds. Therapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral techniques, can be effective in helping you understand and cope with these sensitivities and they can also provide relaxation techniques and mindfulness practices can help reduce anxiety and stress, which may contribute to your heightened sensitivity to sounds.
You may also find these resources useful for you for the timebeing:
It is best that you address the root issue of the sound sensitivity with a mental health professional, as they can journey with you to recovery. Most importantly, please know that you’re not alone in dealing with this, and there are professionals here to support your overall well-being. If you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to share, and we can work together to address them.
Take care and let us know how the resources worked out for you, and let us know if you’ve managed to speak to a consultant about your heightened sensitivity issues.
Thanks for sharing your experiences here. Recently CNA Lifestyle released an article on How noise sensitivity can trigger stress and anxiety in some people.
I feel it’s be a good read and the article also does share some ways to manage noise sensitivity.
