Sensory Audio... I Thought I Was Just Going Crazy

by Cris
(Texas)

I am 31yrs old, married for 11yrs and have 3 children. I was looking into SPD because of my middle child, of which fits much of what I have read, when I also realized I seem to fall into a lot of the symptoms. I have always had over sensitive hearing. I get overly annoyed by just hearing someone next to me chewing food not to mention if they smack.




Background noises seem to be louder than what I'm working on. I have to sleep with ear plugs and I can still hear every little noise and can even identify who is walking down the hall just by the sound of their foot steps. I LOVE music because sometimes it's the only saving grace to drowned out all the other sounds. I can live with everything else I seemed to fit symptomatically but not this.

Anyone else experience this?



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Oct 17, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		so glad I found yall
by: Anonymous

I thought it was just me! A clicking pen, the sound of a TV or talking in another room, cars on the highway a hundred yards from my house all drive me nuts. The sounds of someone eating, whether its chewing or scraping a plate with a fork is another one. My family can't believe I can hear what I claim to hea . Its madevcworse because I have chronic migraines so when I'm lying down, I still hear every time a is opened or closed, every time the microwave dings, every time someone walks down the hall & it keeps me from resting and delays relief from the migraine. I have the same problem with my sense of smell, too. There's an upside... I can hear birds singing when no one else can and smell BBQ no one else can smell, but I'm not totally sure its worth it. Anyway, I'm so glad I found this site. I'm relieved to know I'm not alone.
Nov 29, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Awesome!
by: Anonymous

I'm 20, in college, and chasing after a masters in music. I've had defensive auditory problems since I was born, and until recently had issues in large classes when everyone was talking. With some much need guidance from advisors after 14 years without an OT, I've re-learned how to put my attention on the instructor, even though the background noise is irritating. They've even managed to get me up on stage without any issues. But I can't get enough music. The only thing is, is it's provoking sensitivities that I've learned to live with over the years, and since I'm being taught how to sort out sounds and identify them in ear training, I'm starting to pick up more and more unless I'm really distracted and dead set on what I'm doing. It's rare and not everyday, but my hands shake more now then they did while I was growing up and lately I've had real difficulty reading with a lot of background noise, and the water from the kitchen sink when someone else is running it is like someone grinding my teeth for me. It's kind of a trade off I guess. Now if they could just dim the lights in the library...
Jan 19, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Acute hearing
by: Jen

Oh my goodness I've now realised that I'm not imagining things and that this is real...

I work with sound and music and had assumed that my hearing was just becoming more acute from the work. But it's getting worse... if a bird flies above me I hear every flap and end up hitting the deck like a loony. My husband talks and it sounds like he's shouting and we're forever arguing about the tv volume. I heard a caterpillar crunching in the lounge room and went straight to the lampshade, where it was busy chomping away. If I tell people I can hear this sound or that sound they think I'm mad. It's a shame there's not some top government spy job that we could get paid loads of money for doing.. being a human listening device or something.

Some of you might find that you are gifted with your senses in some ways because of it - I work in sensory rooms and with clients with very low level responses, clients with autism and brain injuries, and I seem to get more responses from the clients because I can hear every whisper and sound they make clearly. I find that I notice everything with my eyes too.

Anyway I wish you all well and I expect like me you dont go to the movies very much.. it gets too embarrassing with jumping 10 feet out of your seat with every little thump and bang from the films :)

thanks for sharing your experiences
Jan 01, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		It's selective, sometimes.
by: Anonymous

I have had this sensitivity for as long as I can remember. It was very hard as a child. Now, however, I can usually remove myself from any situation that annoys (that's much too mild a word) me. It's a knife in my side when I hear it and also when I think about how sad I am to not want to be around certain people that I like because of it. When my babies were little and made a variety of what would normally be unbelievably intolerable sucking sounds (like when nursing or drinking a bottle), it didn't bother me one bit. Now that they're older and I feel like they should be able to control their sounds better, it bothers me a little, but not nearly like everyone else. Hopefully it doesn't get worse, but from my experience and from what I've read, it just gets worse, which makes me so sad. Anyone else have "selective sound disorder"?
May 25, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Similar
by: Anonymous

Normal sounds are ok but every now and then my family will be chatting (not angrily or anything) but it'll drive me nuts. I'll be in my room and I can only hear soft talking but it gets me agitated beyond belief.

Also, I have issues when people touch me. I have to be the one to hug someone. If someone pokes me, taps me, grabs me, touches me.... I go crazy. I jump, every now and then shriek, whip around and ask the person not to do that again. Some evil people just laugh and go. "What?" And just keep smacking my arm. They don't get why I blow up.
May 25, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		SELECTIVE SOUNDS
by: Anonymous

My daughter is so sensitive to noise that no one can eat in her presence. Yet she has a bird that squawks incessantly and it does not seem to bother her. Could this still be hyperacusis?
Mar 19, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		?
by: Anonymous

May i ask u a question guys? is the noise just make u feel uncomfortable or angry and it's annoying?
i'm 22 and i was a drummer for a hardrock band, i was forced to give up music because i've got hyper sensitivity hearing for one year now,...i have ear ringing(tinitus) and can't handle any loud sound especially cars horn or any amplified music!...some times even feel uncomfortable when speak with people and getting headache..!
Sep 18, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Me too!
by: Cassy

I am sensitive to sound and touch. I also have to be in constant motion to or I become all figgity. I thought it was ADHD, but I was told it's a sensory disorder. My my older and middle children have sensory disorder as well as autism. Sometimes I can't stand being touched, as being touched hurts. So there for sex is hard for me. I hate loud noises especially a popping balloon (when someone tries to pop it I run and hide, or when they do pop it I get very angry). I rock back and forth when sitting and sway when standing, but I can't stand heights, or fast twirling upside down rides. As for smell, I can smell EVERYTHING! That's actually just annoying for the most part.

But music is my savior! Without it I'd be a total looney! Unfortunately my MP3 player broke today, and I'm music free and it's driving me crazy! I know how it feels! I'm with ya!
Jun 15, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Me too!
by: Anonymous

I am almost 35 and have the same 'issues' as you. It has been very hard trying to explain to people why I don't go to the movies or to Mexican restaurants because if I do I will have a melt down. It is mainly the mouth sounds like you. I go to another room if my boyfriend eats. I have been to numerous Dr's who have never heard of my complaints. I have now just started wearing earplugs at work so I can actually focus. It is good to know we are not alone. Unfortunately, I dont think there is any medication out there that would help us not hear those sounds.
Jun 04, 2009
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starstarstar 		My Wife has this syndrome
by: Paul

My wife has been distracted by mouth and eating sounds from people since she was a child. Babies and animals that might make similar sounds do not annoy her. Her condition is so bad that it interferes with doing normal things, like going to a movie (she won't) and many other things that involve people. Does anyone know of a treatment other than ear plugs (she wouldn't wear them). Is there a name for this? Assuming that it is a psychological disorder, are there any drug therapies out there that may have been tried with some effect?
Jan 20, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sound Sensitivity
by: Anonymous

What you have is SOFT SOUND SENSITIVITY SYNDROME - a term coined by Portland, Oregon Audiologist Marsha Johnson (Oregon Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Treatment Clinic)... go to her website. I've been suffering from this for 55 years. It's for people who suffer from hearing other people make mouth, nose, body noises.... especially eating sounds. I too wear ear plugs, turn up the tv etc. But I realize I also suffer from SID because many other sounds also bother me besides mouth sounds.

I met with Marsha because I'm lucky enough to live just 4 hours away from her clinic. She sees people from all over the world and country. She prescribed some ear devices which I wore for 8 months but they didn't seem to help. BUT they've helped others according to her. Not covered by insurance and expensive.
Jun 07, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Join the club
by: Miz Woody

I love hearing things others don't, particularly birds. I can hear them when I'm inside the house. However, as a child I always sat at the very back of the classroom so I could be as far away as possible from the sound of the felt erasers on the chalkboard. Even thinking about it makes me shudder!

My daughter cannot stand the sound of hands rubbing together. Even flicking crumbs off your fingers causes her pain!

We tried SAMONAS therapy - which helped with her processing disorder - but it had no effect on her hearing. I have, however, known people for whom SAMONAS therapy was quite helpful in helping them filter some of the noise.

Best wishes. You're not the only one!

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