Keeps it together

[Pinkthomo]

I've been dealing with this anxiety for the first time in my life and really struggling to keep it to a minimum or get rid of it.

The core of the problem is a neighbour who occasionally has music on aggressively loud. I don't know why this effects me so much. The rest of my family don't care too much, but for some reason, I feel it's the end of the world.

I've seen my gp and she's given me a script if it gets all too much.

How does everyone deal with their anxiety. I can only talk myself out of it so much.

[therising]

Hi Pinkthomo

I feel for you so much, given your anxiety and your and self serving neighbour. There are definitely neighbours who I wish would move and go live in the middle of nowhere, with their behaviour, their stereos and their dogs. Unfortunately, we gotta learn to live with them, unless we just can't but that's another issue (moving house).

I know a variety of people, myself included, who have a variety of sensitivities. Sound sensitivity is just one area that I can relate to. Frequency and volume are things that can be felt, especially through the nervous system. Thoughts can also be felt, which can add to the problem. 1+1= 2 major issues. If we can feel the amount/volume of sound coming from a neighbour's property and we can feel the amount/volume of agitation this causes in the way of emotion, it can definitely become overwhelming for us and our nervous system. I suppose, if you can't feel the sound then you won't feel the rage or stress you're nervous system's facing. A few ideas that come to mind:

• You could get the EPA to help manage the noise pollution. They'll make your neighbour more conscious. If your neighbour tends to ramp up the volume especially when they've been drinking, a lack of conscious awareness (thanks to alcohol) may not solve the problem. Once they lose a bit of consciousness, the volume will go up
• Some folk who are sensitive to sound swear by noise canceling headphones. My son actually uses earplugs on occasion when he doesn't want to feel sound at high volume or a lot of loud mixed sounds at large social events (like dozens or hundreds of people all talking at the same time in a function room)
• Refocusing can be a tough one to achieve but it can be done under certain circumstances. Earphones with your favourite music playing through them while you undertake some activity like gardening, housework or whatever could help shift focus. Or if you're watching tv, listening to the tv through concentrated sound (ear or headphones) might help

All easier said than done of course. If I had a neighbour playing loud music, I could manage that in one way or another but if the bass was super intense, it would drive me insane. I'm a gal who can't manage feeling too much base. In the way of sound, what also sets off my nervous system is repetitive sound. Dripping taps, barking dogs, ticking clocks etc all take me to the brink. I smile recalling the other day when I took my 89yo dad to an appointment. I couldn't wait to get out of the car based on me being able to hear and therefor feel his watch ticking. 😅 That was one heck of a loud watch or maybe I'm just sensitive. I think it's a bit of both.

Are there any particular sounds you love the feel of? Jazz or some other music, talking books, a certain person's laughter, the hypnotic sound produced by a Tibetan singing bowl etc? Nothing compares to rain on a tin roof, in my opinion. Maybe you also feel a fair bit through other senses. Personally, I love how certain smells lead me to feel. I have a particular perfume that brings me a great sense of joy. Freshly cut lawn, the smell of rain arriving on a summer's day and onion & garlic frying together in a pan. 😊