Loud Voices Make Me Anxious and Scared

[HanaK]

I was waiting for my ride after having my ears syringed (so much wax that they couldn't see my eardrum... oops q-tip abuse lol) and a guy walked by with his friend. They were talking and he said "No" in a normal conversational voice I would assume. Maybe a little louder than average. But it sounded so loud that I literally jumped and started getting anxious about hearing damage. (because I have really bad hearing loss at a young age)

Is this hyperacusis? Even loud laughter sends me into anxiety mode, or sudden raises in people's voices when they're angry or surprised in conversation (especially in the car because it's such a confined space).

I understand that human voices is something I shouldn't fear unless they're screaming into my ears, but loud talkers make me anxious. I can be having a good conversation with someone, then once they laugh loudly my face turns grim and I start to panic. Or when my mom yells at me in the car, I start to panic because it's such a confined space.

This fear is making me not want to go anywhere or talk to anyone anymore in order to protect my ears/avoid tinnitus spikes.

 

[Johan_L]

I was waiting for my ride after having my ears syringed (so much wax that they couldn't see my eardrum... oops q-tip abuse lol) and a guy walked by with his friend. They were talking and he said "No" in a normal conversational voice I would assume. Maybe a little louder than average. But it sounded so loud that I literally jumped and started getting anxious about hearing damage. (because I have really bad hearing loss at a young age)

Is this hyperacusis? Even loud laughter sends me into anxiety mode, or sudden raises in people's voices when they're angry or surprised in conversation (especially in the car because it's such a confined space).

I understand that human voices is something I shouldn't fear unless they're screaming into my ears, but loud talkers make me anxious. I can be having a good conversation with someone, then once they laugh loudly my face turns grim and I start to panic. Or when my mom yells at me in the car, I start to panic because it's such a confined space.

This fear is making me not want to go anywhere or talk to anyone anymore in order to protect my ears/avoid tinnitus spikes.

Have you told your friends and mom and about your condition? You need to inform those around you. And if they still laugh loud or yell you need to immediately react like "Please keep it down!".

You can also use earplugs. Keep in mind that its likely to get better if you protect your ears from sounds that hurt.

 

[Juan]

Is this hyperacusis? Even loud laughter sends me into anxiety mode, or sudden raises in people's voices when they're angry or surprised in conversation (especially in the car because it's such a confined space).

That sounds like pretty bad hyperacusis, if the voices of people sound too loud and make you anxious.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

I think it sounds more like phonophobia, maybe with a slight hyperacusis added.

I have quite bad hyperacusis and on many days normal speaking voices gives me actual pain in the ears.

 

[OnceUponaTime]

I think it sounds more like phonophobia, maybe with a slight hyperacusis added.

I have to agree.

Politely, do tell your family and friends to lower their voice.

 

[HanaK]

Thank you everyone! I think it's definitely phonophobia and a bit of hyperacusis. My parents are pretty much aware of my ears, but they still yell at me regardless... Maybe I should saying things that cause them to yell at me hehe.

 

[dingaling]

Whoa, let's be a bit realistic here...

After a long period of time with blocked ears due to wax - and then having it removed - it is perfectly normal for everyday sounds to be perceived as being louder.

Wax = blocked ears = muffled/reduced hearing (dependent on how blocked ears were)

Wax removed = ears unblocked = normal/improved hearing and (often) increased perception of loudness. This perception reduces in time - usually very quickly

 

[Marc22]

Dear HanaK:

I am sorry to read about your distress. It sounds that you do have hyperacusis, and right after getting your ears syringed. Could that have caused it? Did you have hyperacusis before the cleaning? I just had my ears cleaned of wax, but I never have them syringed; rather I ask the doctor to do it manually with some device that kind of sucks up the wax and withdraws it. It just pulls a bit on the eardrum. That being said, over the years I have never heard of a case of h. after ear wax cleaning procedures of any type. But I still avoid the spray of syringes due to the pressure and possible excess noise.

Your anxiety, fear, and panic at having h. are understandable. As I was coming down with hyperacusis 23 years ago, I lost a lot of weight due to worry, and ended for 3 one night stays in a psychiatric ward due to great panic and suicidal depression. Then I started to adjust psychologically to a new life. I still get panicky and worried when I have a bad setback. But over the last 23 years, I have had more good days than bad. As to how those with permanently bad hyperacusis adjust, I do not know. I wonder if one can ever really adjust to permanently bad hyperacusis.

Good luck.

Marco

 

[Lane]

I wonder if one can ever really adjust to permanently bad hyperacusis.

I sometimes think that I've learned to "manage" it. That would seen to fall a bit short of "really" adjusting.

 

[spikedears]

I sometimes think that I've learned to "manage" it. That would seen to fall a bit short of "really" adjusting.

Is it possible to adjust to hyperacusis or is managing it the best we can do?

I have been wearing earplugs a lot and it's gotten to the stage now where voices seem incredibly loud. Concerned that soon I'll just be stuck at home in silence.

 

[Contrast]

I was waiting for my ride after having my ears syringed (so much wax that they couldn't see my eardrum... oops q-tip abuse lol) and a guy walked by with his friend. They were talking and he said "No" in a normal conversational voice I would assume. Maybe a little louder than average. But it sounded so loud that I literally jumped and started getting anxious about hearing damage. (because I have really bad hearing loss at a young age)

Is this hyperacusis? Even loud laughter sends me into anxiety mode, or sudden raises in people's voices when they're angry or surprised in conversation (especially in the car because it's such a confined space).

I understand that human voices is something I shouldn't fear unless they're screaming into my ears, but loud talkers make me anxious. I can be having a good conversation with someone, then once they laugh loudly my face turns grim and I start to panic. Or when my mom yells at me in the car, I start to panic because it's such a confined space.

This fear is making me not want to go anywhere or talk to anyone anymore in order to protect my ears/avoid tinnitus spikes.

No it's misophonia.

That sounds like pretty bad hyperacusis, if the voices of people sound too loud and make you anxious.

No this person seems to be describing misophonia,
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-misophonia

Not directly related to the pathologies noise induced pain or abnormal amplificaiton of specific frequencies however is is the
by product if actual hyperacusis.

Pain from noise will lead to complications such as fear from noise.

 

[Lane]

Is it possible to adjust to hyperacusis or is managing it the best we can do?

I think it really varies with each individual, and the circumstances surrounding their getting hyperacusis (I believe mine was the result of a head injury). I'm keeping a minimally invasive surgery in mind as I contemplate my options:

A New Treatment For Hyperacusis 2016 2nd Seminar Master