Re: highly sensitive to sound

December 13, 2011

You sound like me... I have ADD, too, but I also have Sensory Processing

Disorder (SPD). Many ADDers also have SPD... they often go together but you can

have one without the other. SPD affects all the senses, so it may not apply to

you, but many SPDers have more of a problem with one particular sense. Please

ask your doctor about it. Not all doctors know about it, but I think most do

now (at least the psychiatrists). There are no meds specifically for SPD as

it's usually just occupational therapy that's used to help with it. It's not

easy to find OT's who work with adults, but there are some out there. A lot

depends on your location. Also, even the doctors who know about SPD don't know

how to help with it. Yours may know an OT who works with adults, though.

Meanwhile, you can read about SPD and see if it fits:

I do know what you go through, as I go through the same thing. It's very

exhausting. Your body absolutely needs its downtime because it gets overloaded

on a daily basis.

Vicki

>

> After a 3 year journey of different doctors and meds, am getting depression

and anxiety in better control, but finding that sensitivity to sound is a

serious problem. To point I cannot be with my own family. My body cannot absorb

and process all the stimulation, I need to be in a *quiet* environment. I now

consider these " sensitivity attacks " and not anxiety attacks. My body shuts down

and go to quiet place in house and takes 1-2 hours before I can reappear, but am

very irratible and walking on egg shells. My put me on Gufacine, in addition to

other meds for depression, anxiety, ADHD. My dr thinks sensitivity is related to

ADHD, but no relief yet.

>

> Individual sounds can start it, but can build quicker to there is too much

activity and sound all at once.

>

> I am going CRAZY! I cannot even take care of my own kids and only for every

short times. Any help or suggestions?

>

December 14, 2011

If you are oversensitive to LOUD sounds, ie audiosensitivity or " hyeracusis " , as

opposed to being annoyed or enraged by quiet sounds, then I think this is almost

certainly because you now have hyperactive inner ears. You should consider going

to an otologist, especially if you have other symptoms implicating the ear

(tinnitus, hearing loss, dizziness, fullness/pressure in ears). I quite agree

with you that it is not helpful to regard sensitivity reactions as anxiety

attacks.

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