Anyone here extra sensitive to noise?

[alarimer]

I don't really know if it's noise per se or the distraction in represents. But my office is noisy. The people who work there talk A LOT. Some whistle. Badly. In any case the walls are so thin I can hear every phone conversation and just about every other conversation going on, all at the same time.

It makes me cranky and anxious. And it's exhausting. At the end of the day I am wiped out. I want to tell everyone to shut up. Obviously I can't.

So what's the solution? I can't move offices because there are no extras. I have taken to closing the door, but it doesn't block it all out, plus it looks bad. I'm the only one who works with the door shut.

I'm thinking about some good noise-canceling headphone. But I still need to hear the phone ring.

[olddots]

1. first try some of the little foam in ear -ear protectors

they may cut down some of the 3K noise which is what drives us bonkers .

[alarimer]

4. I didn't think of that.

I'll try it, see how it works.

[BainsBane]

9. That's what I've done working in situations

with people talking. I need quiet to concentrate. Those foam plugs work well.

[Moondog]

2. Yes. Absolutely.

Foam ear plugs. You can still hear things like phones. But they are much, much softer.

[Aristus]

3. Whoa! Whoa! Hey!

Not so loud!...

Now what was that?...

[LearnedHand]

5. I am, and I'm in the same office situation

I put on a cheap pair of headphones and dial up (so to speak) Pandora radio. I listen to wordless meditation music or sounds of nature. It really helps me concentrate, it reduces the anxiety that noisy environments produce, and and even at low volumes it overcomes the office noise. Because the music is wordless, it doesn't interfere with my concentration.

One drawback: Pandora has begun playing many more commercials. I think I heard four McDonald's commercials in less than 45 minutes. If this is too distracting, you could purchase meditation music cds or mp3s and play them instead.

[Neoma]

19. Or pay pandora membership.

[pipi_k]

6. Not just noise

but temperature, light, and even touch.

But yeah, noise too.

Someone had a good suggestion above...those little foam earplugs. Sometimes I wear them around the house because Mr Pipi is the kind who likes lots of activity and noise.

The best time of day around here is siesta time after lunch. TV gets shut off...I lie on my nice soft sofa on the sunporch and read, and fall asleep.

I like listening to music, but it has to be through headphones. Otherwise, the sound goes through my body (especially the bass) and causes actual physical pain.

Yeah...weird.

[oregonjen]

7. Have you heard of SPD?

http://www.spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder.html

Just thought I would throw this info out. We all deal with sensory overload, it just depends on our coping mechanisms, how effectively we manage them.

[pipi_k]

12. OMG

thank you so much for sharing this!!!

For years I've been wondering if maybe I had some kind of autism disorder. My therapist says no. I wondered why, then, do I feel this way...

I checked the symptoms link on that page and have all of the ones listed under "adult". Looking back at my childhood, I can recall having many of those symptoms as well.

After all these years, finally some kind of answer...

thanks again for sharing with us

[oregonjen]

20. Glad that link helped!

SPD is something that people don't know about and it really helps to understand that we can all experience sensory overload. Learning tools to help cope with it sure helps!

[pipi_k]

23. I'm going to

bring it up with my therapist at our next appointment...

One really great thing about this is that now I have a good comeback for people who think I'm just being picky or a PITA.

[alarimer]

14. I don't think that's me.

I think it's more that I am an introvert and no one else is.

[winter is coming]

32. I am so disappointed.

I was hoping SPD stands for "Skunks Perfume Disruptors".

Seriously, though, thanks for the link!

[hunter]

8. Yes. I watch DVD movies with the subtitles on and the sound turned very low.

It's much easier for me to understand what people are saying by reading it rather than by hearing it.

If there's a lot of background noise I can't understand what people are saying anyways.

I wear foam hearing protectors anywhere noisy; it makes the world a more tolerable place.

[LiberalEsto]

10. Yes.

I can't concentrate at all if music is playing. I can't stand loud noise, never could, even in my rock concert-going days.

[MrsBrady]

11. good thing you don't work with 2 year olds then...

[BillStein]

13. one suggestion

I have some very noisy co-workers. I tried noise cancelling headphones, and found they were good for mechanical noise (like traffic or plane engines) they did not block voices. These, on the other hand, were a lifesaver:

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/mc5.html

I can still hear my phone but find it much easier to ignore the chatter!

[alarimer]

15. I'm always on the lookout for good headphones.

I'll have to try them. Thanks.

[likesmountains 52]

16. i just read Quiet: The Power of Introverts In A World That Can't Stop Talking

There is a lot in there about just what you're talking about. I am the same way at work, I just want to scream when I hear the most boring details of someone's life for the third time, or to be really honest, I want to scream the first time.

[alarimer]

17. I haven't read it, but I plan to.

Some of this issue is just ambient noise and not really the people themselves. The walls are terribly thing and every sound travels. If someone drops something or knocks something over, you hear it. Or if someone is running a drill out in the shop, I hear it because my office is directly across from it.

And I think I am more stressed because I have a lot to do, which makes me more irritable anyway.

[Populist_Prole]

28. Sounds interesting.

I'd like to read it. I am that person. Well, I didn't realize I was till it become vogue for all noise all the time with most people.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

18. yes. i can deal with noise. have to at work. love music. but, need my peace and quiet. i wear

those little foam earplugs when I target shoot.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

25. I use those sometimes. It's annoying listening to myself breathe but it beats all the yappin'.

[MadrasT]

21. Yes and it is very hard

My office is terribly noisy too

Even going places like busy grocery stores and restaurants and such can be overwhelming to me

I get uneasy and upset and angry and exhausted from continual noise

Ironically I also have a hard time hearing distinct sounds so I also watch TV on low volume with closed captioning turned on

Sorry you are sound sensitive too - it can be hard to find peace in our very loud world

[DFW]

22. Get a visual flasher for the phone, and be thankful you can still function at all

A friend of mine was a professional musician. Top rate fiddle player, and could tune pianos as well.

He developed hyper-sensitivity to sound to the point where a pen dropping on the floor sounded like bomb going off. He has to wear noise-killing headphones most of the time, and his life has been 80% destroyed. He spends his time now in groups with the syndrome, and helps others with to try to cope. Several people he knows who had it even worse than he did have committed suicide. Hyper-sensitivity to sound is not a joke to those who have it. It's more like a constant torture.

[alarimer]

24. I think what happens is that I am easily distracted

I don't know if it's sensitivity to noise so much as it is the fact that it interrupts my train of thought.

There's a busyness in the office at certain times of day. I should probably get their earlier (say 7 am) so I have some extra quiet time to get things done. Or just take advantage of the quieter times.

I'm definitely going to look into those headphones someone mentioned above.

[patricia92243]

26. Hyperacusis(sp) is a real medical term. I have it. You should NOT - under any circumstances -

wear noise blocking headphones, earplugs, etc.

You need to practice the other way - instead of muting noise - increase it so that you will lessen sensitivity.

I used earphones and listened to the sounds of a crackling fire, rainstorms, etc. - very, very, very gradually turning it louder and louder.


You may need to go to an audiologist, and there are all types of helpful article on the net.

Good luck.

Patricia

[Stuart G]

27. I am extra sensitive to almost all noise..especially outside..

drilling, lawn mowers, loud cars.. and so on..Two nights ago, there was a noise like a motorcycle reving its motor outside..and I was so mad, I couldn't get any peace. IT lasted for a half hour..

[Populist_Prole]

29. Yeah, Big time.

I can't concentrate reading or whatever, at work or on my own time, loud conversations or music or TV in the background. I'm flat out amazed; no, flabbergasted, by not only how many people not only deal with noise, but actually seem to thrive on it.

[Demoiselle]

30. I hate noisy restaurants.

...The ones that have bare tables, hard surfaced walls (glass is particularly tough too) and no apparent sound-dampening of any kind.
Shouting across a small table is not my favorite dinnertime activity.
Grump.

[olddots]

31. heres a really good book on the subject

The Unwanted Sound of Everything We Want by Garret Keizer on BBS Public Affairs label .

I can't tell you how good this book is hopefully it is available in one form or another.

[sakabatou]

33. Me.

Unfortunately, like you said, my solution wouldn't work.

[Quantess]

34. ear plugs,

the foam kind that construction workers use.
Set your phone on vibrate.

I can't stand whistling!!! Whistling sounds awful. I hate it in songs, too. But if you ask a whistler to please stop, they stop for 5 minutes and then start whistling again.

[RILib]

35. I'm exactly the same.

I don't understand how people who have to think in their jobs can work in a noisy environment.