Noise anxiety

[PeggySue92]

Hi all, this is my first time posting and I suffer from noise anxiety.

My noise anxiety only exists in my own home, I work in a noisy office environment and this is not a trigger at all. In the past we have had noisy neighbours, air-con units, loud music etc all causing me to think about when the noise will happen again and this causes me to worry about constantly. Even to the point of missing out on enjoying things because I need to try and control situations.

At the moment we are in our own house and the neighbours have a dog that barks ALL THE TIME. It’s sensitive to everything and anything and is causing me anxiety because we cant go out to our backyard without being aggressively barked at. The issue has been brought up with the neighbours and they are aware that the barking is disturbing me and my family but not a lot has been done.

I'm tired of worrying and thinking the worst of what ‘might’ happen.

I'd like to hear from anyone that suffers the same type of anxiety and if they have tips on how to deal with it.

Thank you.

[Damaged]

I have exactly the same problem so I can relate. It is something that can really affect the quality of your life. I try to block the sound with a white noise generator there are heaps for free on youtube. Just pick the one that is most relaxing to you. And use headphones as well if you have too, I do. Some times I will watch a video in one tab and just have the white noise turned up enough until it blocks the noise pollution in the other tab. I know we really shouldn't have to go to these levels to get peace. Though this is the only thing that I have found that helps.

[NeeC]

I have exactly the same reaction to our neighbours loud music. We used to have a good relationship but after a bad night when my husband had asked them to turn their music down because I was having a panic attack the next morning the wife was on our front porch screeching about how it was her birthday party and how we’d ruined it. We haven’t spoken since . They still have loud music at times and as soon as it starts I can feel the anxiety start. I try to not react but it’s out of my control. The inconsiderateness(?) makes me so mad but I keep it to myself. I’d love to but for a number of reasons that’s not possible. I have no advice to offer but as others have written knowing it’s not just me helps a bit.

[Pumpkinella]

Hi Guys,

I am also very sensitive to noise after some terrible neighbours - who were hospitality workers - would get home from an evening shift and laugh and drink in their courtyard in front of my bedroom window. I am not good with confrontation but they drove me to a point where I went berserk and confronted them. This did not stop them unfortunately. I know the feeling of agitation and fear when you think your hearing that first sign of noise. Its bloody horrible.

I actually ended up moving but now I'm moving to another busy suburb again and I am scared of getting noisy neighbours. I have been thinking about it and my strategy if this occurs is:

Firstly to be nice (even though its so aggravating and the last thing you want is to be nice). I think people find it harder to be inconsiderate towards nice people. Just ask to have a coffee with them and really sit down and chat with them about the noise levels and how it affects you without at all being angry.

If they ignore it - tell them nicely again and if they continue to ignore it I would probably raise it with the council (I know what you're thinking - good luck) but its worth trying.

In the meantime, I would try to practice acceptance. So I hear the noise and I accept it as a part of the environment. I don't put their faces to it, I don't associate the noise with 'rude inconsiderate people'. I just hear it as a part of the environment that I can ignore. I think the more we practice this the more it can be tuned out automatically. If every time we hear the noise we react really strongly and get all absorbed about how rude they are - it reinforces the anxiety and only builds on the problem.

I don't think its an easy exercise at all but it may help a bit. My partner was never bothered by the noise because he could tune it out. I also wonder if seeing a psychologist may help? They might have some more knowledge on strategies with noise anxiety.

Love

Pumps

[Brit1301_]

This is me also.
Once I hear it, I can’t relax. I hone in on it, and it makes me so irritated

I can’t relax. Sleep. Focus.
I feel physically sick!

anyone have any tips?

[Pumpkinella]

Hi Brit,

Yeah its a tough one - a mindfulness type practice is good. Try accepting the noise as something neutral. Its when we label the noise as 'bad' and 'intrusive' that it becomes a problem. Allow the noise to be - give it space. Notice that without silence noise cannot exist. Try to sit and be in the silence that allows for the noise. Follow your breath. The noise is neither good nor bad - it simply is.

Thats helped me at times 🙂

[Tigercat]

Hey I'm new I have bad noise anxiety ppl judge me it's lonely life

[Tigercat]

So I happy were I live noise 2 much living horrible life nah friends nothing but am strong person never give up nah matter how hard this is

[imber_]

Hi, I know this is an old post, but wondering how you are getting on OP? It is a relief to know that other people experience noise anxiety and I am not alone. With this anxiety, you can never fully relax even when it is quiet as you are always waiting for the noise to start and experience it like an assault. It is like we have been conditioned to be in a constant state of fight or flight.

This is my story of noise anxiety which I am still very much suffering with. My husband and I moved in to our home Oct 2020. We needed a new home as I was pregnant with our second child and we desperately needed more space. We didn't have a lot of properties to choose from as it was in between Covid lockdowns in Melbourne and no one was listing, so we settled for a home where the neighbours' deck was close to our boundary and actually overlooks our garden and living space.

Despite our misgivings about the overlooking deck, the home did have some nice aspects, and the agent told us the neighbours were quiet and hardly out there. Well, as you can imagine, that turned out to be completely false. Literally one week after we moved in, renovation noise began next door and the deck used as a work space with power tools. Our dwelling being a stone's throw away, the sound can be heard in all habitable spaces of our home, especially our dining and living area. Around this time of moving in we obviously realised how poorly insulated and sound proofed our home is (we are in no financial position to remedy this sadly).

The worst of their renovations and noise went on for 9 months (however their noisy DIY projects that drag on for days still continue to this day after 18 months!!).

[Melancholy Yogini]

Hi PeggySue92 and everyone who appears to suffer noise anxiety,

I also believe I suffer from noise anxiety, with mine getting gradually worse over the last 12 months which has prompted me to seek help. I recently moved house to get away from my neighbour who played her piano for hours each day. While she was really very good there was no where in my house I could escape the noise. I used noise cancelling head phones or turned the TV up but I just wanted it to stop. I would sometime sit with my fingers in my ears just to hear my own breath. The street I lived in also became very noisy and I would get agitated with noisy cars, motorbikes especially bothered me, and planes flying over head.

While my new house is much quieter the anxiety has not gone away with it now bothering me in my work place. And new sounds are starting to bother me, such as people slamming doors.

I have the skills to breathe and calm myself however as I feel this is getting worse I'm not sure how long I can continue to function without it become noticeable to others. I am not able to hide it from my husband, and unfortunately he does not understand, even thinking I'm being irrational. These forums are always very helpful, but I hope to find someone who can help me figure this issue out also.

For me my journey is day by day, I try not to think too far ahead. If I make it through today then I am doing ok.

Love & light to you all x

[Sarge77]

These are my exact trigger sounds! As soon as I hear them I get a racing heart and go from calm to internal rage in a split second.