Loud Noises, Especially Barking Dogs

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Why doesn't exposure work for this type of anxiety? Ever since I was little, sudden loud sounds in a quiet room have always given me this horrible surge of adrenaline. If I anticipate the noise again, it's like I stay on high alert for quite a while, and I hate it! This is a problem when I visit people with dogs. My ex had a dog, but the problem didn't go away. It got a bit better, and I learned better ways to deal, but the problem didn't go away. Why not? Am I afraid of fear itself?

A few years ago, around a particularly yippie dog at someone's house out of state, I got so frustrated I started cursing every time the dog barked. I couldn't sleep in the same room with the dog, and I was irritable a lot.

Then, I suddenly got the bright idea to wear earplugs! Little did I know that this was a technique that autistic people and, not sure who else, use to cope. I thought I was the only person, LOL. It helped some, but I felt really weird about it. Nobody cared though.

Disclaimer: I understand that this is nothing, compared to what others suffer through every day. I'd still like to fix it. Anything else I could try? I feel like if I relax too much, then the adrenaline surge will just catch me that much more off guard.

I have a similar reaction if an animal jumps on me also.

Hi I understand where you are coming from. I lived in student acommadation for a year and the fire alarm would go off randomly at any time of the day. I was also really affected and it took me ages to calm down afterwards. The worst one was at 3 in the morning

I don't know if this helps but after one of these episodes I would sit a take deep breathes and sort of talk myself down. Telling myself it was nothing, Im safe and I don't need to worry. Then I find something to distract me like focusing on reading a book.

If exposure isn't working you might consider a med. Not everyone wants to go that route which is your choice. But if you do consider it you might do an online search and see if anything works for it and what people say about it. Then perhaps talk to your doctor about it.

Barking dogs used to bother me, but gradual exposure worked. We are up to 4 Chihuahuas now and it gets crazy sometimes. Mucho barking daily. Chis are very verbal so-to-speak. Most times I don't even notice it anymore. Except subconciously listening to the tone of the barking, which is different in different situations.

That said, I am on a regular med for anxiety and I think that has been a significant factor.

Hypno-Therapy ?

Hi everyone, fun how the forum cooks up solutions while you sleep.

Ban-Dodger, I'm not very good at going into hypnosis, though some of their techniques work for me. For example, listening to guided imagery that tells me to gradually imagine feeling more calm. The other one is replacing a very negative belief with a more realistic one. If I don't believe what they're saying on a subconscious level, it doesn't work, so I can't imagine someone literally hypnotizing me to believe that barking dogs don't bother me.

Alliekit, yes, I like your mantras. It's hard to give myself permission to truly relax though if it's one of those dogs that randomly and frequently barks without warning. When I do, and it's actually quiet for a while, it's better. The more frequent the barking interruptions, the harder it is for me to relax.

Toms, wow, so many chihuahuas! So, you don't jump a mile anymore? Hmm, it would be nice to find a medication that worked well for me on a regular basis. I haven't been that lucky, so I'll just have to keep trying whenever they come up with something new.

I have to sleep with white noise or any little sound will send a surge of adrenaline through me and jerk me awake, although I don't think I ever sleep deeply. I have been on a regular med for anxiety for years. Now that I am getting to be a senior citizen, my doc ( a new one, the one I had retired) said he wants me to go off the anxiety med because there is now some list of meds that seniors should not take because it makes them more prone to falls. I seriously don't know how I could live and function without the anxiety med so now I have anxiety about that. The doc also made me give a urine sample to test for drugs (made me feel like a criminal) and I had to sign a long agreement form to continue the anxiety med promising that I won't sell it, take a larger dose, get the same med from another doctor, etc. (made me feel like a criminal again). I miss my old doc, going to this new one was very demoralizing.

Your reactions to loud noises are not nothing. I have been suicidal before, and had big issues with my neighbors cause of my hearing sensitivity. It's torture and the sudden loud noises are the absolute worst. If it weren't for barking, I'd love to have a dog... I feel your pain.

White noise machines help, I have one in each room. Plenty of earplugs, and you can buy the silicone ones that people can't really notice unless they are looking at your ears. A good quality headset ear protectors-- (the kind air traffic controllers wear) help on days when the anxiety makes sounds louder. IPods with music you like if you don't wanna wear earplugs all the time. I even bought an mp3 player and downloaded hours of white noise and nature sounds on it for times when I need loud white noise in my ears.

Most importantly, anything that you can do to help your anxiety will help your sensitive hearing. I use lavender on lots of things and walk a lot. I was on anxiety medication years ago and didn't have my sensitive hearing, so anxiety does make it a lot louder. Plus I have noticed certain types of food make my sensory issues worse so I have to stay away from junk foods.

AspieInAZ, I have that problem too, being jolted awake by sound. It's hard for me to predict when this happens, especially since I jolt awake so often anyway, even without the sound. White noise can help, yes.

Leozelig, I hadn't really thought of an ear protector or something, for the times when the barking dog really gets to me. I suppose I didn't want to accept that I can't prevent my reactions too well. If I escape for a while in meditation, I know that would help. It's better than letting the anxiety build up over time, I know, even though I'll have to take a break from whatever we're doing and just do it. They already know about my anxiety disorder anyway.

I'll have to find noise-cancelling headphones or an ear protector where I could still wear earbuds, something that doesn't take up too much room in a carry-on bag. Something to block out the barking dog sounds enough for me to not get powerfully jolted out of meditation. If I start feeling this way at the pool, I go underwater and/or swim a few laps, or just cross to the other side of the pool from the dog.

Also, sorry to hear about your neighbors, Leozelig. That sucks to have them close enough to you that their loud sounds bother you so much. You must hate fireworks then also. Are you saying that the loud noises contributed to your suicidal feelings? That sounds awful!

Thanks for bringing back this thread. Not sure what happened to everyone.

Barking dogs are annoying; sirens are the bane of my life though. I live right near a fire station. It seems that no amount of exposure therapy will stop me from feeling rage when I hear them. Really, do they have to be so loud? I know they have to weave through traffic but the noise they make is painful.

Hi DataB4, my sensitive hearing does suck. I live in a noisy neighborhood in the middle of a busy city. Lots of barking dogs, cars with bass, ambulance sirens, loud people, car alarms-- one near my bedroom window going off every day which lead me to many meltdowns. I have felt hopelessly depressed about it at times, it's an aspies worst nightmare. I try my best to control my environment as much as I can since noise will always be there. Even quiet times make me nervous cause you just don't know when the next loud noise will be. Silicone earplugs are soft material but they're still kind of easy for me to hear through. I like them a lot for when I'm with other people that seem loud. Do you often feel like people are talking really loud too? Drives me crazy. I hate noise. I can watch fireworks with earplugs on, it's a lot cooler to watch them that way.

Wow Androbot and Leozelig, sounds like you can rarely open your windows then, with all the racket outside. I used to live in a busy neighborhood but all the traffic was like white noise mostly, and the sirens, though frequent, were usually farther away.

The earplugs I've got were left over from concerts, so they're not professional or anything.

I do have one particularly loud, gregarious friend. Though extremely socially aware, he doesn't seem to get the concept of toning it down to match the other person's level LOL. If I tell him he's shouting or loud, he'll shout "I'm not loud!" LOL. People can hear his whispers a mile away too. It's hilarious but annoying sometimes. Actually, in all seriousness, I wonder if he's developed mild hearing loss from his life as a musician, but he won't hear of it, pun intended.