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10 replies

Too Much Noise

kmaykmayMember
Do you ever get extremely irritated with noise or chaos?

I am wondering if it is a side effect of my depression, or of my meds wean, or if it has to do with the effects of growing up in a household where there was constant screaming and yelling...maybe its all of the above.

We were at my Mother in law's the other night for dinner. A funny show came on TV that my Hubby loves so she turned it up, waaaay up. Then as everyone tries to talk over the volume, it sounds like yelling to me. My heart starts pounding and it all sounds like a loud annoying hum blurring together and I want to throw the TV threw the wall. I can't concentrate on anything and I feel like I want to pull my hair out. I literally could not handle it. I got so irritated, I took the remote and turned it back down and then just started snapping and yelling at everyone.

Just tonight, at home with my Hubby and Kiddies...things got too loud. Baby was crying, then my H turns on my daughters TV show and turns it up b/c the baby is crying and then my daughter starts trying to talk over the volume and I just can't handle it. It's like I snap. I muted the TV and then I just started yelling at everyone.

Same thing happened last night when my girlfriend came over. She is a very bubbly, very energetic person who is just kind of naturally loud and rowdy. I absolutely could not handle it last night. I love her so much and lover her company, but man...I could not wait for her to leave last night. It's like it literally hurts my ears and head!

I need quite and calm so I can feel normal. Is this weird? Or does this resignate with anyone?
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True NorthTrue NorthCo-moderator
kmay.. this really resonates with me. I hate noise and chaos and it's been much worse for me since the trauma caused by oldT. My son and my dh argue all the time and I end up feeling like I want to just scream or run away. Sometimes I do scream for them to shut up and they do when they see how upset I am. I also find myself wanting things to be calm and quiet and almost silent. The noise hurts. It's better now although arguing still makes me crazy. I think part of it is the depression and how noise and action actually hurt.

I'm sorry you are dealing with this but I really do understand.

TN
beccabeccaMember
I hate noise. I live alone during the week and on the weekends my SO comes to my place or I go to his. I cherish the quiet during the week. Sometimes the tv never is even turned on when I am home because I can't stand any noise. I can get really cranky when the SO and his kids crank up the volume on the tv. It just doesn't need to be that loud in my opinion.

My T believes I have some depression going on but I never took into consideration my intolerance for noise as a part of it. Something to think about.
heldincompassionheldincompassionMember
Oh, yes, I get this, especially the tv aspect. The noise, the lights, the flashing images, the chaos of one commercial after another-- definitely sensory overload. I haven't thought of that as a symptom of anything, though, to me it seems like a quite reasonable reaction. Smiler There is nothing natural about tv. I actually don't even have one and haven't lived in the same house as one. . . for about four years now. It's one of the better lifestyle improvement choices I've ever made. But of course, if you live with other people you have to get them on board with that which may or may not be easy. Smiler

Regarding more "natural" noise like people talking or kids being rowdy, I have a better tolerance. I respond to the noise, lights, and chaos of traffic in the city the same way I do to tv, though. Sometimes that makes getting around where I need to difficult. Therapy has helped with that.

Do you guys really think this is depression? I thought maybe a preference for tranquility and stillness in one's environment was a sign of health, or at least sanity.
yakusokuyakusokuMember
I'm really sensitive to noise too. I think part of it is just my natural temperament...Boo is the exact same way. Another part of it is trauma from childhood and the chaos of where I grew up. I always seem to like the TV or stereo at least a few pegs lower than almost anyone I know to be able to tolerate it. Both Boo and I (and H too, but his is more about being around lots of people noise, not noise in general) have huge issues keeping our emotions in check when things get noisy. We get super irritable about it. Luckily, only H occasionally likes things loud, so the house stays quiet for the most part, unless Boo is in a tantrum. H likes to play loud music (rock, metal) on his phone while he takes his shower first thing in the morning. I can't stand it and don't understand how he can. Like I said, people noise bothers him, but music/tv/games do not. I'm especially bothered if there are multiple layers of noise all competing for attention (i.e. someone trying to listen to music while someone else tries to watch TV or someone trying to talk over other sounds). It's like my brain is going to explode.

There are some background noises (kids playing) I can filter out if they aren't right next to me. An enclosed room with a lot of people talking or a loud show can drive me positively crazy, though.

Along the lines of what poppet said, I get overwhelmed by other "intense" things too, like flashing lights, strong smells is a huge one for me. If I'm paying attention to my body (I try not to), physical sensations of how things feel on my skin, etc.
kmaykmayMember
Thank you so much for all the responses everyone! I feel less alone in this. I thought it was just me Embarrassed

My T had said once that she definatley thinks it's a side effect of the depression. I noticed that it has gotten worse since we started my meds wean and change and my Pdoc said it's definatley a side effect of that and I just need to weather the storm Frowner

I am usually a pretty high functioning, multi-tasking person. Lately, however, I can't seem to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. If I am typing an email and one of my employees asks me something, for instance, I can't concentrate on what he is saying and type at the same time.
Or if one of my kiddies is nagging while I am talking to H, I can't concentrate on talking to him where as I used to just let the nagging go as background noise.

Hoping it will improve with my meds change.

Thank you everyone and so sorry to all those who also struggle!

B born2writeMember
Yip, for me it is a side effect of depression and PTSD for sure. It drives me crazy and I also snap and scream and just basically need to get out and be alone. The more I am dealing with those sorts of emotions the worse it is.

and yes, Cat and Poppet I get that highly sensitive thing too with the PTSD to the point where I physically feel vibrations of just about everything....and yes to the smells too, they can either calm me or send me over the edge.

B2W

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