All my life I have had a big problem with sudden loud noises. They don't just make me jump, they give me a big adrenaline rush and put me properly on edge. I don't know whether it's a physiological or psychological problem, have never asked a doctor about it because it seems like a waste of their time.
Examples of things I can't stand, and I mean really cannot stand:
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Balloons: banned from every party I've ever had. If I go to a party where they are, I have to avoid them
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Fireworks
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Dog's barking (I love dogs but could never have one because of this. My mother tells this story that when she was about 6 mo pregnant with me, she got trapped on a farm in France by a barking dog, and she was terrified. Apparently until then I'd been moving around normally, but after that I didn't move at all for 2 days and she thought I was dead. When I was born I used to scream hysterically whenever I heard a dog bark. I am aware that this sounds like something out of an Ian McEwan novel, but mum thinks it's the reason I have such a strong reaction to it)
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Ditto horses whinnying.
I have sort of learnt to put up with it, and just avoid the above things instinctively. But it would be nice to not have to. Has anyone had any experience of this or know anyone who has it?