![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Noa on November 19, 1999, at 9:09:33
Just wondering...does anyone else notice an increased sensitivity to noise when they are depressed? Today, I went to pick up my meds at the supermarket pharmacy, and the announcements over the loudspeaker made all my nerve endings hurt. I noticed this a couple of months ago when I was having a bad episode of depression. I went to the movies and had to stuff tissues in my ears because the movie was so loud I felt my eardrums would break. I had also noticed the store loudspeaker thing then. Just a moment ago, someone's car alarm went off and it felt like it was right next to my ears.
Posted by dove on November 19, 1999, at 10:05:38
In reply to Sensitivity to Noise, posted by Noa on November 19, 1999, at 9:09:33
Yes Noa, I am very sensitive to noise when I am depressed, but I am also sensitive when I'm not depressed. I also have an exaggerated startle reflex that worsens with depression. I hate going into grocery stores, all the people, the noise, I feel like I'm covered in wool, dull but at the same time everything is like pricking me. Do you understand what I mean?
It's a very bad place to be, you have to withdraw from everyone and everything but when you do that you are left alone and only your own thoughts, which is bad too. I hate this combination, it just sucks completely.
Keep writing Noa ;-)
dove
Posted by JohnL on November 20, 1999, at 4:59:09
In reply to Sensitivity to Noise, posted by Noa on November 19, 1999, at 9:09:33
> Just wondering...does anyone else notice an increased sensitivity to noise when they are depressed?
OOOHHH Yeah! In my job I visit different department stores. I spend most of my time in quite a few Wal*Mart electronics departments. Next time you're in a WM, check out the noise in electronics. It's like a nightmare sometimes. The whole back wall is TVs blaring. Then there's a boombox blaring on top of it. Then the store's music on top of it all. And the noisy hustle and bustle of customers. The phone ringing. The store intercom announcements. Oh man!
Then when I come home, my youngest is watching TV cartoons. And it's too loud! My oldest is blabbing on the phone. My wife has the stereo going. Oh man again!
I can always judge my overall sense of wellbeing by how I respond to noise in my environment. When I'm OK, noise is benign. Doesn't affect me. When I'm not OK, noise seems intensified and totally intolerable. It makes me feel like I am literally going crazy. There have been times I couldn't get out of a store fast enough. I just wanted to run out into the parking lot and SSCCRREEAAMM!
Posted by CarolAnn on November 20, 1999, at 7:35:21
In reply to Re: Sensitivity to Noise, posted by JohnL on November 20, 1999, at 4:59:09
> > Just wondering...does anyone else notice an increased sensitivity to noise when they are depressed? >
>With me, it's not as much as if the noises seem a whole lot louder, it's like I have a really reduced tolerance to noise. Any loudish noise will grate on my ears and nerves making me feel as if I'm going to jump out of my skin. Even *happy* noises, like my 18 month daughter's little squeals of enjoyment, can give me a flash of irritable feeling. This does happen when I am feeling worse overall(depressed, anxious, stretched nerves). I also, at these times, will have a very increased sensitivity to being in crowds(I know this is not medication related, because I've always had it). Small places(elevators,ect)have never bothered me, but put me in the midst of too many people and I get very stressed(I call it "people claustrophobia"). I feel I can't breath(causing me to hyper-ventilate) and I get so irritable, I literally have to bite my tongue to keep from yelling things like,"move it!" "Get out of my way!"(my husband has learned to recognize this and ignore the irritable(and mean)way that I talk to him). He just scouts the best way out of the situation(with incredible patience).CarolAnn
Posted by Diane on November 20, 1999, at 9:33:20
In reply to Re: Sensitivity to Noise(and to too many people), posted by CarolAnn on November 20, 1999, at 7:35:21
Yes. I started wearing foam ear plugs 8 yrs ago to block out normal life. I can't stand
listening to people getting on, going forward with their lives while I live mine like the
livingdead unable to even get help. My hearing got so sensitive that 4yrs ago I switched to
silicone ear plugs, which I wear 24hrs a day. Only when I'm alone, which is a rarity, do I
take them out. It's a form of self-"medicating". An escape.
Posted by Seedwoma on December 6, 1999, at 15:10:30
In reply to Re: Sensitivity to Noise(and to too many people), posted by Diane on November 20, 1999, at 9:33:20
Yes,for most of my life I have been highly sensitive to crowds, noise, light, and other stimuli when depressed. Only recently have I learned that this sensitivity is correlated with my mood and how well the meds are working. I can only describe this feeling as one of being overstimulated: it really does hurt in a way, as if I am all exposed nerve endings. At these times I must get to a dark, quiet place--I can endure it, and have managed to for most of my life, but now I recognized that it is part of the depression and I know what I need to do to get some relief. It also helps to recognize that it is not a personal failure or an inability to deal with the world. It's a painful symptom of depression.
I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone, but I am glad to hear about others who have it, because I don't feel so alone.
Seedwoman
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.