Extreme sensitivity to sound

[Csandnugget]

Hey, do any of you suffer from extreme sensitivity to sound? I cannot handle it.
Phones ringing, any sound while I'm trying to concentrate, dogs, screaming children, traffic, etc etc.
I seem to be much more sensitive than most people around me are.

[Metior_Ice]

This may be a little late for this post, but I have also noticed a high sensitivity to sound. In fact I noticed that some sounds can actually do the opposite of making me more angry. I have played around with various sounds, and I realized that certain music or sounds actually bring out the best in me. For instance, the sound of waves crashing on the shore calms me down. Basically natural sounds, or certain music with this energy to it makes me feel great. I really don't know why one song sounds better then another, or why it has the effect it has, but I am more sensitive to different pitches or different frequencies of sound. I actually listen to a ton of music. Eventually some songs I enjoy are worn out while I listen to them, and they cause irritation. However, the only way I know of to fix that dilemma is to buy new music or rotate the songs I listen to. I'm BP too, and I guess I might have a different kind of self-awareness then most people with the disorder. I hope this helps. Try changing your diet to. I became vegetarian when I started becoming more aware of the way my body responded to the disorder. I am currently trying to cut all animal products to see if I notice more increased changes in my Bipolar for the better.

[vickie5989]

Thank you so much!  Just yesterday I was talking to someone about relationships and I did think of the positive and negatives.  The last relationship was okay for a year than it got possessive and would get mad if I didn't agree with him or go with him every weekend on the harley.  Always about Harley.  That's the thing with me now I don't like anyone tell me how to do something especially a man.  I just need a friend.  I don't have one any more except my mom, dad and my son. No one really understands my illness and when I tell someone that don't want to be friends.  

I took mom to the hospital yesterday to get tests.  The sounds in the hospital was so irritating!  I was having a bad day before the day started. I wasn't feeling good all over.  I have hepatitis as well and it's not doing good.  So the two together are like gang busters.  I had to take a pill to keep myself in the calm.

I think the main think for me now is to find friends that having the same illness to talk to.  Someone that doesn't look at me and say, sure.  They always say you don't look sick.  I'm very lonely and just want to be happy one day

Thank you

[Csandnugget]

Seph - I'm the same - if I'm choosing the music, (if I'm in the mood for music), then it's fine!  Funny!
Yes, and places like TGI and others don't always have the best taste in music!
I also HATE talk radio - endless blah blah blaaaaaa.
Again - unless I have tuned in specifically for a certain show.
Trees, water and birds, anytime!

Vickie - I also have rages when the irritation...
(just as I typed that - a neighbour's vacuum cleaner started up... sigh. Get the cat off my lap, close the door, try to get cat back on my lap again. Ahh, doors!)
..when the irritation is continuous. Its like my ears are being violated! And it's not fair!
:-(. I didn't order that noise!

Who thinks you are an old maid Vickie? Yourself?
No, you are an independent woman, living your life exactly as you want it. Or maybe as possible to how you want it.
When you are alone, you can control so much around you. It's all your choice, at anytime, less worries, no disagreements, no need to explain yourself, no having to do what others want you to do, no noise, no mess, sleep whenever you need to. Just trying to relax. You're free.
And staying home and watching a DVD is far less expensive than going to a mall and watching a movie anyway.
There are pros to the 'cons'.
Whenever you feel lonely - try to imagine what you WOULDN'T like about being in a relationship. That should fix it.

Of course I'm not saying avoid relationships - just don't worry about what other people think, or of what society expects from us.
It's your life, live it the way you want to live it.
I find that I have to keep my stress levels right down there, other wise I'm all over the place about the smallest things.

[vickie5989]

I thought I was all alone in this.  Sounds really bring out the bad in me.  Being in a room with a lot of people chattering drives me crazy.  I can't seem to hear right lately so all sounds are too much for me.  They're neighbors who like to play their music loud on the base. My room is even shaking.  I just marched myself over there and told them they had to turn it down. It's gotten better.   I can't concentrate unless I'm in complete silence.  I have to focus so hard on everything I do. As someone said before constant noise drives me up the wall to anger.  Sometimes I have rages.  I live in silence if I can.  I don't go anywhere where there are crowds. The malls are useless.  I have no social life.  I'm 58 and I'm going to die an old maid.  I don't want any relationships because I don't want to explain myself.  Sorry I could keep going.

Thanks for listening.

[Seph1212]

I (and my niece who's both fortunately and unfortunately taking after me) are both very sensitive to sensory input...sight, touch, smell, and especially sound. I can relate to the flashing light thing too...and even just bright light.

Loud music (ever been to TGI Fridays...ugh), TVs, incessant chatter, etc. all push me over the edge. I rarely have the TV or radio on at home. When I get into another's car, radio is always way too loud for me...especially talk radio...and the first thing I do is request that it be turned down or off. Silence is golden.

Ironically, when I'm seeking out music, like a concert, it doesn't bother me. The crowds of people do though. Also the constant background noise of the city center where I live doesn't seem to bother me. Still, I prefer the silence (except the sound of wind in the trees, water, and animals) of the woods/country; it's soothing.

[Csandnugget]

Ha ha, LoL!  Both of you!  Brilliant and true!

And we are far more interesting than the rest of the
'trying to seem as near  to normal as possible' bunch out there.

We are just the more expressive, soul searching types!

... Consistantly inconsistant!