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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Does everyone feel like this? Mysophonia?

164 replies

MaintainTheMolehill · 29/12/2019 00:04

I always thought everyone was like this until DH said it's just me.
I cope fine with loud noises, concerts, shouting etc but if there are two loud noises or more at the same time, I can't cope and find I am panicky, agitated and angry.
For example if the TV is loud and someone is talking, I feel like this.

Does anyone else or AIBU?

OP posts:
terriblyangryattimes · 29/12/2019 01:01

This is so me!I keep saying to my husband that loud noises all at one are triggering and make me agitated and/or angry - he doesn't get it! Now I know it has a name I can show it to him!

ChocolateCoins19 · 29/12/2019 01:03

I can't cope if tv on 5hen dd plays a noisy toy or ds on YouTube.. The different sounds I can't cope with

ButterflyBook · 29/12/2019 01:05

I hate music playing whilst people are talking - are we listening to music or talking? I can't do both

This is me as well. People for dinner and everybody thinks it's marvellous idea to have background music. I just want it to shut the fuck up whilst I try to listen, and to talk. I sometimes feel so alone with it when someone says "Oh, leave the music on, we're enjoying it" And it's just making me very stressed indeed. I really wonder why this is.

Thefifthbeatle · 29/12/2019 01:21

Me too. The car is particularly awful.

Thestrangestthing · 29/12/2019 01:23

Yup, I'm the same. Makes me very agitated. I live I. A house of boys and they just make constant noise with machines, games, TV, phones. Sometimes I feel like I will with scream or cry.

OwlBeThere · 29/12/2019 01:27

Yup certain sounds grate and make me RAGE. I’m getting much better at removing myself before I explode but I can’t control the anger. It’s worse when I’m tired.

peakygal · 29/12/2019 01:27

Extremely noisy eaters does it for me! Ones who make smacking noises etc..I also cannot bare someone sniffing...Blow your bloody nose Xmas Angry Grin

rhubarbarkle · 29/12/2019 01:31

That has a physiological reason, but if you are young, maybe not? What age are you OP?

36degrees · 29/12/2019 01:37

I have this. An audiologist told me that it is an echolocation disorder and affects my inner ear/balance when I hear multiple competing sounds. The usual effect is to make me feel dizzy and sick, plus it's exhausting trying to pick out one sound from another. I actually fainted at work trying to follow what someone was saying in a meeting while a shredder was running continuously in the next room.

Original poster
MaintainTheMolehill · 29/12/2019 01:42

@rhubarbarkle I'm 39.

OP posts:
dubmumof2 · 29/12/2019 01:44

I certainly don't have it as badly as some posters here but yes, if there are two sounds competing for my attention then I get panicky and irrationally irritated.....

BillHadersNewWife · 29/12/2019 01:49

Me. I hate sudden noises too. I was in a public toilet yesterday...just sitting there when someone went into the cubicle next to me. I could hear it was a little boy because he was talking to his Mum. Suddenly there was this almighty BANG! And my stomach literally flipped.

He'd dropped the seat having lifted it to pee. His Mum didn't bat an eye lid but carried on chatting to him.

I had murderous thoughts because it was so awful.

I also find sirens literally cause me pain.

goodluckdontdie · 29/12/2019 01:51

Yeah I'd say this isn't the case for most people. Although obviously the people who do experience it are more likely to reply to this thread, it seems!

SpaceCadet4000 · 29/12/2019 01:54

I don't but DH does. Eating and drinking sounds are huge triggers for him as well as contesting background noises. He really struggles with repetitive electronic kids toys, or if both of our DNs are being noisy at the same time (1 DN being noisy is fine...!). I think with him there are wider sensory issues too as he also struggles with the texture and fit of clothing.

wokingpizzaexpress · 29/12/2019 01:56

Omg this is me
When we are cooking / eating dinner, DH will have the radio on. Then the kids are going nuts / doing homework / playing with friends... tv on in living room. I loose my mind and have to shit everything off.
I'm so glad I'm not alone

wokingpizzaexpress · 29/12/2019 01:59

Shut not shit ffs

SleepWarrior · 29/12/2019 02:07

Yes, it's like it literally blocks the thought processes in my brain and I can't even get words out to express how overwhelming I am finding it - i just become this sort of primal caged animal that can only snarl and roar.

I find the whole thing dials up 1000% during PMT time too. Really wish it was more controllable as its something I don't like about myself, but like I said it's as if it blocks the ability to think or talk, just total brain overload. Touching me added in on top is problematic too (my poor kids!).

Nat6999 · 29/12/2019 02:16

I'm the same, I've been staying at my mum's over Christmas & she has her television on so loud I have to retreat to my bedroom as the noise does my head in. When I am at my own home, I only put the television on if there is something I want to watch & only have the volume at 15 max, my mum has the same tv & sets hers at 40. As soon as what I wanted to watch finishes, I always turn the set off. I have super sensitive hearing, I can hear electricity in walls & even the Sky box drives me mad. At home when I'm on my own, I wear foam earplugs most of the time.

Jenasaurus · 29/12/2019 02:21

I am the opposite, I love to listen to people eating, it relaxes me. I think its called ASMR

Stressybetty · 29/12/2019 02:59

I have cfs/me and sensory overload is one of my symptoms. It's like my brain can't cope with too many things at once!

ButterflyBook · 29/12/2019 03:35

Yes, it's like it literally blocks the thought processes in my brain and I can't even get words out to express how overwhelming I am finding it - i just become this sort of primal caged animal that can only snarl and roar

That perfectly describes how I feel too. Husband has rugby on in one room, radio on in the kitchen, his explanation is that he's keeping his ear on the rugby whilst listening to the news. I can't do that. Then he asks me a question about something unrelated and I completely unravel. My mind is unable to function under the onslaught of all this noise. Crowds cheering the rugby in one ear, some serious news of people dying in a hurricane in the other, and dh asking when the Xmas refuse collection is. At this point I have no idea even what fucking day it is. He really doesn't understand it, and I don't know how I can explain it to him. It can be quite demoralising to be unable to mentally process noise that one's partner finds quite normal.
He thinks I have a short fuse and get cross over nothing much.
I just end up distressed and frustrated that he doesn't understand.

PapayaCoconut · 29/12/2019 03:39

When I'm in a noisy restaurant with music and many people talking, I get this sort of metallic "buzzing" in my ears that makes it really difficult to hear when people are talking to me. I don't know if other people can lip-read, or they're just pretending to hear each other!

NeverGuessWho · 29/12/2019 03:47

This is a revelation to me. You are all describing me. I thought it was just me. Can’t believe there is a name for it!
Thank you.

Cornyplaster · 29/12/2019 03:50

I have found my people. I spend my life turning things down and saying “Indoor voice please”! I wear earplugs around the house. One of my kids has dodgy hearing and shouts all the time and it drives me crackers.

Packit · 29/12/2019 04:05

I can’t stand loud telly and talking at the same time, I’m the one holding the zapper because I need control over the volume. My dad has the telly on really loud, I sit with cotton wool in my ears, that helps 😅