Re: Self Introduction

[Guest guest]

: you could be me with what you have described! My husband is an artist, as I am, and you know what, I think this is a trait we all have. Sadly, today's urban environment doesn't often allow that. I have come to the conclusion that there are many things that I can do to get me through this.

First, I plan on strengthening my ears by getting some professional retraining, I'm working on that. Like going to a gym and making my muscles stronger to get through everyday things, I hope to be able to fight sound with sound, as Marsha has taught us!

I'm also coming to the conclusion that living near freeways, busy roads, loud neighbors, all of that, just isn't working for me. I'm sure after some help, I will be stronger and can tolerate this more but honestly, I just don't think I'm made for living in this much of an urban environment! We live in a tourist area with very close neighbors, lots of rental units, vacation renters and a busy road in front and in back of us. The visitors play their boom boxes very loud and there are parties, parties, parties with beach living. So hate to say it but I just don't have it in me!

I, too, have wandered around all times during the night and have fought the fight. I am currently making sure that I never have complete quietness all the time. I play soothing music or as one person on our list said, basically try and baby myself but add a little noise across the board to my day every day. I notice already on the days that I am totally quiet without this noise or music or whatever, that I am extra-sensitive at night and listen to everything. That is normal which is why hearing protection isn't a great thing unless something is really loud.

Anyway, there's a ton out there about this and you will enjoy this list. Glad to have you. You are not alone!

Jane

Reply-To: Soundsensitivity

Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 21:41:08 -0000

To: Soundsensitivity

Subject: Self Introduction

I was just reviewing www.hyperacusis.org, thinking about making a

" hyperacusis awareness card " printed on a business card to hand to

business owners when I'm trying to enjoy a public place and the music

is crushing in on my brains, and I saw this group!

So! *hushed bing* I'm here!

My name is . I'm 34 year old and I live in Portland, OR.

I'm not sure when my condition started to manifest, but I think I can

attribute the onset of it to my sudden and often overwhelmingly

disturbed awareness of low frequency sounds when I was around 20 years

old, when I was living in Los Angeles. During this time I became

convinced that some neighbors were blasting their stereo somewhere

nearby with the bass turned all the way up. After about 4 months of

losing my mind, I finally put my shoes on at about 3 in the morning

and slowly, carefully, deliberately traced the sound over three miles

to a freeway overpass--it turned out to be the rhythmic sound of cars

passing over an irregularity in the pavement... Since then I've

learned to mentally " test " sounds for varying degrees of regularity in

pattern. For instance, no song on earth maintains the same exact beat

for 5 hours straight. It's safe to assume that there's something of a

mechanical nature making such a sound.

Over the past 8 years I've started to develop a sensitivity to high

pitched sounds, so I'm sure it's only a matter of time... Though I've

been steadily figuring out ways--over the past few months--to

temporarily condition an increased tolerance for certain types of

noise disturbances in myself. The periods of increased tollerance can

allow me to bare the brunt of a disturbing environment for a period of

30 minutes or so. It's meager, but it's progress.

Hrrm, I'm babbling.

An interesting point or two about me might be that I'm a " poet "

(unrecognized poet, that is) who spends a good deal of time studying

the art and supporting topics.

Well, that's me, for now. Glad there's a place for people like us.

VERY GLAD!