HERE, I found this article on a condition called Misophobia, which sounds like something little boys do in the bathroom, but, it's a hearing condition in which people have sounds that bother them so much, they can actually become enraged. They seem to focus on only certain sounds, so I know this is not what I have, but, I was looking for something and came across this. Does any of this sound like it fits you? I'm going to look at the link to their website later and read comments. I often find so much more info in comments than in actual articles. Misophobia..I never knew there was a name for this condition. I have something I call 'super hearing' for lack of better words. I wish I could find more on that and what it really is. Anyway, the article was interesting, even if you don't suffer from it. They give a tip about using white noise. I do that a lot. The website probably has all kinds of tips for shutting out sound or sounds.
17 comments:
I used to have super hearing. I couldn't sleep because everything woke me up. I could even hear blinking when it was quiet. I feel for ya.
I can't stand the sound of people telling me stuff I don't want to hear.
Do you have hyperacusis?
Frimmy, did it go away? When did it happen, I mean, did you always have it or did it come on after some event. Mine happened after the strokes. I fucking hate it.
Dan, tell me what things so I can tell them to you.
Anon..I will look that up. Thanks.
Interesting. I don't think I have that, but I do use white noise a lot. I am just getting to the point when I will occasionally drive in my car without the radio or a CD playing. Seriously. The first times in my life I am able to handle that time without additional noise.
There was a nurse I used to work with, who told this story about her husband. They have a large home, and four kids, but sometimes at night, she would hear him, next to her in the bed, saying "that damn goldfish!!" because he could hear the goldfish in its bowl, in the downstairs bathroom. It always seemed funny, but maybe it's not. He has a real condition that is probably tough to manage.
Christina
I believe I have this. I love silence and get very anxious when there is too much sound. I've always blamed the fact that I have very poor eyesight, so my other senses took over. I also have a very acute sense of smell, which doesn't mesh well with having three cats, let me tell you.
I am like Frimmy, I can hear the oddest things...blinking...I can hear that. I rarely use the radio in my car and when people chew their food with their mouths open, I about lose my shit. Even chewing with their mouths closed when it's something crunchy is very hard for me to deal with. I have a hard time singling out my sounds, for instance, watching TV is hard, because the furnace kicks on, the fridge is running, the wind is blowing, etc. Perfect silence is a dream of mine.
I hear about white noise. What is it?
Lawn mowing, jackhammers, stuff like that set my nerves ajar.
OTOH I often don't hear parts of what somebody says because they have an accent and from another county and as soon as I say what did you say after…. They start shouting and speak very slowly. Doesn't help. I hate people yelling at me and their accent isn't any better at higher volume, and they start from the beginning of the spiel rather than what I asked them specifically to say again. Maybe they have the speech memorized and can't back up 2 sentences. Reminds me I had to tell doctors in the hospital to be quiet, tone it down when they came in yell about bowel habits, for instance. With a roommate and three visitors there. Way to go, doc. I'm not hard of hearing nor are these other people. They assume everybody over 55 is deaf.
Christina, I believe the gold fish story. I put water on to boil for tea the other day and Lis and I went outside and were shoveling snow. I told her when the water was boiling, I could hear it. She was amazed. I can not drive with music. No way. I make the kid use her ear buds.
Angie, I too dream of silence. I have never experienced it. I would like to try a hyperbolic chamber, but, I aint Michael Jackson.
Border, I hate loud talkers too. I don't know about white noise. I use it to my advantage. If I find something on it, I'll let you know.
Hyperacusis is interesting. It might be what I have.
Someone smacking food makes me lose it.
A ticking clock, especially in a bedroom. We use to have this Big Ben alarm clock that I finally smashed against the wall. A dripping faucet. I've had to leave water dripping lately so our pipes don't freeze. I had to take the shower head off and attach a hose so I couldn't hear the dripping.
I always had it. My son has it too. A couple of years ago I had an ear infection that damaged my hearing and busted it down to normal. Maybe even a little less than normal. It's been a world of difference.
I read an article years ago about a little girl they thought had autism. She would react violently and randomly for no discernible reason. She would hold her head and sometimes bang it on walls (thus the autism diagnosis). Then her mom started to connect the reactions of her daughter with distant sounds. She brought this up with the Doctor and they had her hearing tested. Turns out she had super hearing and it made her entire world too much to endure. They did a series of controlled procedures that 'damaged' her hearing and reduced it to within normal abilities and she calmed right down and the autistic behaviors stopped. Not sure what those treatments were, and it was so long ago it might not even be done in our day and age.
It's a torturous way to live. I don't blame you for hating it. EVERYthing annoys. We aren't meant to live with that kind of constant sensory stimulation. I hope they can do something for you.
I can't sleep without white noise. I have a phone app for it (White Noise, it's free) when I'm not at home but the ear buds in my ear are too noisy. It works when I'm desperate.
The white noise I use is just a fan. I also like the coolness of the fan blowing but as soon as a fan starts making irregular vibrating noises I have to get another.
I can NOT have music playing in the car. I can't stand loud talkers. The sound of someone's voice is one of the single most important features if we're going to spend a lot of time together. I don't care about accents but it has to be easy on the ears. I can't tolerate loud crunching sounds even when it's me doing it.
I think the noise thing is the single most significant reason for why I am an introvert and why parties are hell. I am a very patient and tolerant person but if I have more than one person talking to me at the same time and neither one will shut up to let the other one talk I will actually lose my shit on them. At home in my sound proof room is my idea of heaven.
The major sucking sound of people kissing on TV or movies turn me off big time.
Ew! Totally with you on that, Border.
My hearing isn't as amazing as ya'lls, but I think I have above average hearing. I'll be talking on the phone with someone and I have to pull it slightly away from my ear otherwise it sounds like they are yelling. My sister will also chew something crunchy and it drives me nuts cause she just chaws, mouth closed, but god! I can also hear the cat's paws walking on tje carpet when it's more quiet in the house.
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