I'ma Newbie!

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone, if you haven't guessed by the email the name's

Chantal.

I'll just tell yall a little about myself, and why I'm here.

Up until a few days ago, I didn't know what has been wrong with me

for the past 13 years (I'm 18 now). My ears were tested and the

physiatrists evaluated me-misdiagnosing me with depression. Which I

never felt I had. This has always ate at my mind, never knowing what

what wrong with me, why I would flip out over a simple little sound.

Now I know why.

It's kind of wierd, now that I know i have 4S, when I hear a sound I

feel like I can control my emotions better. It's a relief to know

that I'm not some nut and there are many many others out there just

like me.

My triggers are people popping their gum, chewing with their mouth's

open, people eating chrunchy things, computer typing (it's soo hard

to deal with at school), excessive snorting, animals licking/drinking

(water bowl and water bottle), people talking in another room, when

people suck things out of their teeth, my mom talking in german (I'm

not sure why, but that was one of my first triggers- she's full

german). I'm sure there are other ones, but those are the main ones.

I dread the fact that I could develope more triggers as I get older.

The reason I'm here is because I want to learn more about this

condition, I also what to learn and share different methods to cope

with certain sounds.

I figured a long time ago that I was the only one (well it seemed)

that reacted to sounds in a nails against a chalk board kind of way.

I know that it's not fair to take out my condition on other people,

so I try my hardest to control it. Like when I'm hanging out with

friends and they eat, I eat with them. I think if your eating too, it

takes away your focus from their mouth, to your own food. Or I'll sit

down and watch t.v with them. Other sounds, like my dog eating or

drinking, I simply just get up and walk away. Or when my mom is

talking on the phone, I'll go into a separate room, or take a walk.

The same goes for typing, but when I'm in school, I try so hard to

ignore it. But when I'm taking a test, it seems impossible to ignore

it.. so I ask the teacher if I can take the test/quiz outside the

classroom. ( that's only for my teachers that type like 50 emails

each class haha). At least I know I'll never be able to take an

office job!! I wouldn't want that anyways.

Besides this condition I think I'm pretty normal (your definition of

normal goes here haha!), but I love school, my friends, my dogs, my

animals, and everything else life has to offer. I've learned to live

with this (even though it would be freakin awesome to get rid of) and

I don't believe in letting this condition get the best of my life. I

urge everyone to do the same . ohhh and another trigger-dogs

barking- my dog just reminded me! haha