Re:The Insidious Mechanism

[Guest guest]

These are very interesting theories, and I have to agree that there

is something in the wiring or filtering of our brain. I don't think

this is really anything to do with the ear itself, since I know

myself and others on here, also have triggers that are related to

sight. I get just as irritated, when someone around me is shaking a

foot or making repetitive movements with their hands.

I hadn't really thought before about what animals might think of

sounds or their environment. Maybe that is why a cat always stops or

runs at the sound of PSSSST. That may be like a 4S trigger to them.

Just the thought makes me feel sorry for them.

>

>

>

>

> Wow, a lot of what you've written sounds like thoughts I've had

over the years pondering this condition.  I don't know a lot about

the brain, but I've read a little and I wonder if this condition has

to do with being hypervigilant in the manner of an animal in the

wild.  The world has become so noisy and crowded for the first time

ever, and since we have been evolving for so long in relative quiet,

it actually amazes me that more people (and animals)aren't intolerant

of noise.  Why would a bird choose to live in a noisy city (for food,

most likely), and what do cows and horses think of airplane and car

traffic noise?  They don't seem to be bothered, but who knows?  There

have been experiements that show that noise disrupts all sorts of

natural patterns in the oceans, where creatures communicate with each

other over long distances.  I wonder if there are whales who have

become hyper-sensitive to the sound of ships, for fear of

> that noise interfering with its own communication?  Sounds far-

fetched, but you never know.

>  

> It seems to me that being hyper-vigilant is a good trait for a few

in a group to have--a band of apes in the wild should have a few

hyper-sensitive " look-outs " , and according to the book, " The Highly

Sensitive Person " , that's the case.  There is a portion of the

population, I think she says something like 15%, who are more aware

of their environments than others.  If we lived out in the wild with

a few other people, as humans did through most of our time on this

planet, our hypersensitivity would have been a valuable trait instead

of an impossible-to-live-with burden.  I don't know how that relates

to developing 4s, but I wonder if people with auditory sensitivity

simply genetically have less ability to filter background noise, so

they won't miss out on something important like an approaching lion.

>  

> I read an interesting book called " Animals in Translation " by

Temple Grandin, a very high-functioning autistic woman.  The theme of

the book is explaining how the autistic brain is like the animal

brain, and explaining the actions of animals from their own

perspective.  I was struck by a few particular sections of that book,

especially those having to do with the reptilian brain and the fight-

or-flight response.  I've always thought this condition has to do

with a faulty switch for fight-or-flight, and a lot of others on this

list seem to think so too.  Great book for understanding animals,

autism, and the brain, or any one of those.

>  

> I found this list about a year ago, and it's been amazing to hear

others' stories.  I don't have as extreme a case as some, but that's

partially because I have managed to isolate myself.  I'm a stay-at-

home mom and I avoid places where I'm likely to be annoyed.  It

flares up into a really bad case when something is regularly

bothering me, like last year when my daughter developed a case of

chronic throat-clearing.  I've never so miserable, knowing that my

own beloved daughter was starting to notice that I wasn't hanging out

with her as much and was constantly stressed and angry.  Horrible! 

It was bad when my neighbors had a barking dog outside my bedroom

window too.  Dog barking became a trigger, and though it's been a

year since they got rid of the dog, it still is a trigger.  Right

now, there is nothing (cross my fingers) that is particularly

bothering me on a regular basis, so my 4s is feeling under control. 

>  

> I feel a kind of fear of noises, not like phonophobia where one is

afraid of a loud noise damaging their ears, but a fear of being

annoyed yet again.  Maybe you're right--it's really a subconscious

fear of being unable to communicate.  I think there's more to it

though.  I think there is a brain miswiring of some sort that links

the fight-or-flight response to many little noises that we otherwise

know are innocuous.  Hyperacusis research suggests that some people

become hypersensitive to noise because of sound deprivation, which

sounds odd in our loud society, but we live indoors in controlled

environments and aren't exposed to constant natural sounds. 

Ear plugs are apparently the worst thing you can use if you're

hypersensitive, but I know that for many of us they're pretty much

mandatory.  I think our condition is a mix of an unnatural sound

environment, natural hypersensitivity, plus a little brain miswire. 

Or the brain miswire is a result

> of the first two.

>  

> I'm sorry about your marriage--there have been others on the list

who shared about failed relationships as a direct result of 4s.  It's

so sad.  It affects us in so many ways, and it's so frustrating that

no else seems to understand. 

>  

> Thanks for reading my ramblings,

>

>  

>  

>  

>  

>

[Guest guest]

** Low Priority **

I was hauled into my boss's office yet once again about my intolerance

for annoying loud co-workers and other annoying sounds. Of course she

sided with the offenders and I acknowledged I knew it was a MY problem

not theirs.

Interestingly, I have started the process of trying to get disability

retirement based on my noise intolerance (I have many physical issues

but since I work in the office I would not be approved for these

issues).

I am going for it and I will let you guys know how I make out, I am

desperate and I absolutely cannot take it anymore! I am your number one

basket case.

Dr. , any comments, please?

>>> Hardenbergh 7/20/2008 1:18 PM >>>

Wow, a lot of what you've written sounds like thoughts I've had over

the years pondering this condition. I don't know a lot about the brain,

but I've read a little and I wonder if this condition has to do with

being hypervigilant in the manner of an animal in the wild. The world

has become so noisy and crowded for the first time ever, and since we

have been evolving for so long in relative quiet, it actually amazes me

that more people (and animals)aren't intolerant of noise. Why would a

bird choose to live in a noisy city (for food, most likely), and what do

cows and horses think of airplane and car traffic noise? They don't

seem to be bothered, but who knows? There have been experiements that

show that noise disrupts all sorts of natural patterns in the oceans,

where creatures communicate with each other over long distances. I

wonder if there are whales who have become hyper-sensitive to the sound

of ships, for fear of

that noise interfering with its own communication? Sounds

far-fetched, but you never know.

It seems to me that being hyper-vigilant is a good trait for a few in a

group to have--a band of apes in the wild should have a few

hyper-sensitive " look-outs " , and according to the book, " The Highly

Sensitive Person " , that's the case. There is a portion of the

population, I think she says something like 15%, who are more aware of

their environments than others. If we lived out in the wild with a few

other people, as humans did through most of our time on this planet, our

hypersensitivity would have been a valuable trait instead of an

impossible-to-live-with burden. I don't know how that relates to

developing 4s, but I wonder if people with auditory sensitivity simply

genetically have less ability to filter background noise, so they won't

miss out on something important like an approaching lion.

I read an interesting book called " Animals in Translation " by Temple

Grandin, a very high-functioning autistic woman. The theme of the book

is explaining how the autistic brain is like the animal brain, and

explaining the actions of animals from their own perspective. I was

struck by a few particular sections of that book, especially those

having to do with the reptilian brain and the fight-or-flight response.

I've always thought this condition has to do with a faulty switch for

fight-or-flight, and a lot of others on this list seem to think so too.

Great book for understanding animals, autism, and the brain, or any one

of those.

I found this list about a year ago, and it's been amazing to hear

others' stories. I don't have as extreme a case as some, but that's

partially because I have managed to isolate myself. I'm a stay-at-home

mom and I avoid places where I'm likely to be annoyed. It flares up

into a really bad case when something is regularly bothering me, like

last year when my daughter developed a case of chronic throat-clearing.

I've never so miserable, knowing that my own beloved daughter was

starting to notice that I wasn't hanging out with her as much and was

constantly stressed and angry. Horrible! It was bad when my neighbors

had a barking dog outside my bedroom window too. Dog barking became a

trigger, and though it's been a year since they got rid of the dog, it

still is a trigger. Right now, there is nothing (cross my fingers) that

is particularly bothering me on a regular basis, so my 4s is feeling

under control.

I feel a kind of fear of noises, not like phonophobia where one is

afraid of a loud noise damaging their ears, but a fear of being annoyed

yet again. Maybe you're right--it's really a subconscious fear of being

unable to communicate. I think there's more to it though. I think

there is a brain miswiring of some sort that links the fight-or-flight

response to many little noises that we otherwise know are innocuous.

Hyperacusis research suggests that some people become hypersensitive to

noise because of sound deprivation, which sounds odd in our loud

society, but we live indoors in controlled environments and aren't

exposed to constant natural sounds. Ear plugs are apparently the worst

thing you can use if you're hypersensitive, but I know that for many of

us they're pretty much mandatory. I think our condition is a mix of an

unnatural sound environment, natural hypersensitivity, plus a little

brain miswire. Or the brain miswire is a result

of the first two.

I'm sorry about your marriage--there have been others on the list who

shared about failed relationships as a direct result of 4s. It's so

sad. It affects us in so many ways, and it's so frustrating that no

else seems to understand.

Thanks for reading my ramblings,

[Guest guest]

My God, I am waiting for the same thing to happen to me next week when

my boss gets back. Yesterday ....well, I had my turrets blast off towards

a coworker who will not shut the hell up.

Right away she accuses me of harassing her and threatening her....where

that came from I have no idea. She is ready to fight and not let you say

a word........I left work early crying and in disbelief....I have heard this girl

on the phone with her daughter's teachers and she is like a pit bull.

Can't stand her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thought about suicide last night when I got home because there is no

where to run....got over it by drinking a lot of beer....

I emailed my boss saying "I refuse to be in trouble for asking my

coworker to tone it down a bit" this is not fair and I am not harassing

anyone....it always turns out the same way, though,....it is my

problem...like with the T shirt idea, you might as well write, KICK ME

on the shirt because no one will get enlightened at this time....

they will chew louder and whistle more....I am 51 and tired...

I am ready to go God, take me anytime. This sucks!!!

To: Soundsensitivity From: P@...Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:15:40 -0400Subject: Re:The Insidious Mechanism

** Low Priority **I was hauled into my boss's office yet once again about my intolerancefor annoying loud co-workers and other annoying sounds. Of course shesided with the offenders and I acknowledged I knew it was a MY problemnot theirs.Interestingly, I have started the process of trying to get disabilityretirement based on my noise intolerance (I have many physical issuesbut since I work in the office I would not be approved for theseissues).I am going for it and I will let you guys know how I make out, I amdesperate and I absolutely cannot take it anymore! I am your number onebasket case.Dr. , any comments, please?>>> Hardenbergh <smharde> 7/20/2008 1:18 PM >>>Wow, a lot of what you've written sounds like thoughts I've had overthe years pondering this condition. I don't know a lot about the brain,but I've read a little and I wonder if this condition has to do withbeing hypervigilant in the manner of an animal in the wild. The worldhas become so noisy and crowded for the first time ever, and since wehave been evolving for so long in relative quiet, it actually amazes methat more people (and animals)aren't intolerant of noise. Why would abird choose to live in a noisy city (for food, most likely), and what docows and horses think of airplane and car traffic noise? They don'tseem to be bothered, but who knows? There have been experiements thatshow that noise disrupts all sorts of natural patterns in the oceans,where creatures communicate with each other over long distances. Iwonder if there are whales who have become hyper-sensitive to the soundof ships, for fear ofthat noise interfering with its own communication? Soundsfar-fetched, but you never know.It seems to me that being hyper-vigilant is a good trait for a few in agroup to have--a band of apes in the wild should have a fewhyper-sensitive "look-outs", and according to the book, "The HighlySensitive Person", that's the case. There is a portion of thepopulation, I think she says something like 15%, who are more aware oftheir environments than others. If we lived out in the wild with a fewother people, as humans did through most of our time on this planet, ourhypersensitivity would have been a valuable trait instead of animpossible-to-live-with burden. I don't know how that relates todeveloping 4s, but I wonder if people with auditory sensitivity simplygenetically have less ability to filter background noise, so they won'tmiss out on something important like an approaching lion.I read an interesting book called "Animals in Translation" by TempleGrandin, a very high-functioning autistic woman. The theme of the bookis explaining how the autistic brain is like the animal brain, andexplaining the actions of animals from their own perspective. I wasstruck by a few particular sections of that book, especially thosehaving to do with the reptilian brain and the fight-or-flight response. I've always thought this condition has to do with a faulty switch forfight-or-flight, and a lot of others on this list seem to think so too. Great book for understanding animals, autism, and the brain, or any oneof those.I found this list about a year ago, and it's been amazing to hearothers' stories. I don't have as extreme a case as some, but that'spartially because I have managed to isolate myself. I'm a stay-at-homemom and I avoid places where I'm likely to be annoyed. It flares upinto a really bad case when something is regularly bothering me, likelast year when my daughter developed a case of chronic throat-clearing. I've never so miserable, knowing that my own beloved daughter wasstarting to notice that I wasn't hanging out with her as much and wasconstantly stressed and angry. Horrible! It was bad when my neighborshad a barking dog outside my bedroom window too. Dog barking became atrigger, and though it's been a year since they got rid of the dog, itstill is a trigger. Right now, there is nothing (cross my fingers) thatis particularly bothering me on a regular basis, so my 4s is feelingunder control. I feel a kind of fear of noises, not like phonophobia where one isafraid of a loud noise damaging their ears, but a fear of being annoyedyet again. Maybe you're right--it's really a subconscious fear of beingunable to communicate. I think there's more to it though. I thinkthere is a brain miswiring of some sort that links the fight-or-flightresponse to many little noises that we otherwise know are innocuous. Hyperacusis research suggests that some people become hypersensitive tonoise because of sound deprivation, which sounds odd in our loudsociety, but we live indoors in controlled environments and aren'texposed to constant natural sounds. Ear plugs are apparently the worstthing you can use if you're hypersensitive, but I know that for many ofus they're pretty much mandatory. I think our condition is a mix of anunnatural sound environment, natural hypersensitivity, plus a littlebrain miswire. Or the brain miswire is a resultof the first two.I'm sorry about your marriage--there have been others on the list whoshared about failed relationships as a direct result of 4s. It's sosad. It affects us in so many ways, and it's so frustrating that noelse seems to understand. Thanks for reading my ramblings, Use video conversation to talk face-to-face with Windows Live Messenger. Get started.