Right now I am struggling with noise. I live in a tourist trap and have to work during the week. Then on weekends all I want to do is hibernate. But its too noisy. I feel that people are assaulting my senses with sound and chaos and noise. I get angry and scream SHUT UP but it doesnt help. My husband bought me the kind of ear muffs that air traffic people use to block sound. But I feel restless. I cant even stay still. I get anxious and always want to be on the move.
I want to move and be active because it is uncomfortable to stay still and yet I am exhausted by noise and activity.
How do I get relief?
;-(
Written by
ZipperSee
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14 Replies
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For years, I have used a noise machine to cut down on the surrounding sounds. It's a little unit that makes a soothing background sound, either the ocean, a train sound, or rainfall. I especially use it in a strange place like if I have to stay in a motel. It is surprising how much of the noise it damps, and it really helps.
Here's a link to the type of thing I'm talking about:
I don't know how much it would help in a tourist trap, but it might be worth a try. Good luck! Noises - especially late at night - are terribly alarming for me.
Thanks Dan, I have a white noise cd. These machines look very appealing though and I may buy one. I like that it can play all night which my cd doesnt and that it has nature sounds. Thank you.
You're very welcome, ZipperSee! Yes, the all night feature is what I really like. If there's a strange noise in the night that wakes me up, I hear my machine sound and it helps me calm back down!
Im so sensitive to noise too. I was so freaked out at lunch today in the city...brain seering construction noise, a street full of construction workers staring and cat calling while sirens were driving by and making my way through massively crowded sidewalk. It was almost more than I could handle. I try to avoid noisy chaos whenever possible. It's hard though.
It is hard to avoid. I can never seem to remember how I get when I am overwhelmed with noise. I do too much and become severely agitated. I cannot avoid all my life but I know when I need to rest I just have to do it and reschedule my life around it before I go beserk.
Could you purchase some ear plugs from the pharmacy or chemist as we call it in NZ. I use these when I go to the grandkids birthday parties because I have a noise sensitivity not related to PTSD. I find these work well. I'm still present but my daughters know I have earplugs in so if they want to ask me if I want a cup of tea for example they do sign language lifting a cup to their mouth. The kids don't know they. Just know nana is at their birthday. We are a very close tight family so every celebration we are together.
Hey Lindyloo good to hear from you, neighbor---(I am in Oz and earplugs are a long time friend of mine. Thanks for the reminder as I have not been wearing them lately and over-doing everything.
Sounds like your like me, I forget what works until someone reminds me. The most recent event where this happened for me was I always lock the back door when I come in it, it's habit for me. I found during the day I kept going out to check and of course it was locked each time and someone said to me remember how you told me you always lock it when you come in it, remind yourself in your mind when the thought comes in usually with panic have I locked the back door and yes it's working. I always have both doors locked when I'm home unless I have a visitor and when they leave I lock the door as they go out of it. The mind does crazy things when we have PTSD! Good to meet a neighbour.
I have a hard time to with noises, I don't know if this would help or not, but what I do s leave the radio or t.v. on low all the time except when I sleep. When I go to bed I turn the fan on which drowns out a lot of bumps in the night that would normally wake me up. So sorry for your struggles though, hugs <3
Thanks for the suggestion, jackie... I dont have a TV but I do like to listen to podcasts while I am inside. Still, the noise makes it pretty hard to hear other things. Best thing is to really hide I am finding.
Thanks everyone. I do have a white noise cd that I play. Earplugs are also my friend. I think it is just an experience of being overwhelmed sometimes. Noise becomes intolerable at those times. SO I need to be more realistic and not try to do too much. I need to slow down and maybe take some time off if I can. Anyway, I am feeling a bit better. I called into work today and will keep the sensory overload down. This will help I think.
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and earplugs are a long time friend of mine. Thanks for the reminder as I have not been wearing them lately and over-doing everything. 
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