Noise intolerance, hyperacusis: totally stressed

[Karen]

I was hoping her voice would get a little lower when she's older, but she's 9 years old by now, and her voice is still the same.
!

It'll likely be a least a couple more years before her voice changes, if it ever does! Just FYI.

[Catty1]

Kirsten, if you are on disability now, is there any way for a doctor to write a letter or etc so you can qualify for affordable adult-only housing?

{{{hugs}}}

[Asiel]

Kirsten I can so relate to what you are going through. Have you been checked by a doctor ? I have vestibular hyperacusis, caused by a severe head trauma when I was a child and I have major trouble with noise myself. We also in the country and I would never dream of living anywhere else. We used to live in town and the noise from regular everyday things bothered me no end. Since moving here 20 yrs ago it's like living in another world. Everything is super quiet, no subdivisions , everyone lives on acreage so any mowing or regular noise is so far away it doesn't bother me. All I hear are the sounds of nature which is a treat for me.

[Lizzie]

I can sympathize also, and to some degree empathize.

I have excellent hearing, and I've embarrassed a few doctors by telling them what they discussed in the hallway. I love loud rock music but could never go to a rock concert because it would be painful, it has to be to my sense of loudness.

I love, and need silence - complete and utter silence with not even the sound of wind or rain. I relax totally in silence. However, I can fall asleep with a movie running and the cats running around knocking things over. But those are my personal sounds and I'm controlling them - well, not the cats' behavior but they are my cats and it's my choice to have them.

I loathe the summer weekend noises of lawnmowers, blowers, power washers, and people who believe you should enjoy whatever music they are playing. I have to put on a movie, though I don't watch it, so it is my noise I'm hearing rather than other people's.

I live in the suburbs and it's not really a loud neighborhood but there is a small airport and Boeing plant a few miles away from me. When I moved in 27 years ago, they didn't test planes at night and a small plane going overhead was very rare. Now my Saturdays are punctuated with plane after plane going over, commuters planes on weekdays, and planes being tested at night - those roars really travel on the night air.

A white noise machine might be just what you need because the sound will be something you control and you will get used to it, so not notice it in time.

[sasvermont]

I would try using head phones - really good ones. They might just do the trick. I personally, can't stand headsets/phones especially the kind that fit it your ears. I get a sick stomach from them.

I live in a very quiet building, neighborhood and town. I do hear trucks etc. during the daylight hours, but we don't even have barking dogs at this point. I fear that the house next to mine will be sold soon. My biggest fear is that a family with kids will move in. I know, not all kids are miserable to be around, but the house next to mine is in poor shape and I suspect some low life will buy it....Our neighborhood is very quiet. All adults live on my road/street and all of the neighbors are VERY considerate of each other.

I have complained to the town officials from time to time, if illegal fireworks are set off etc. and it seems to work.

Are there no town noise ordinances? Is there an official you could complain to? I bet you are not the only person bothered by the awful noises.

How about buying an air conditioner?

What a miserable situation to be in......I have lived in cities before and the noises can be unbearable.

[Karen]

I thought of another example, Kirsten. Paul cannot stand wind chimes, and finds them horrible and discordant. I love them! I do think much of it is about how sensitive one's hearing is, as well as the environment one grew up in.

[Kirsten]

Again, thanks a lot for all your advice, it's very appreciated. As for white nose machines and air conditioners, it all depends on the costs, not only the costs for the machine itself, but also for the electricity they need. Energy is VERY expensive in Germany, it really is; and I'm already paying way too much as my apartment is badly isolated. And since I'm no longer working, I'm really poor now, not kidding...

It'll likely be a least a couple more years before her voice changes, if it ever does! Just FYI.

I would be glad if she would at least stop that screaming; something you'd think you could expect from a 9-year-old.

Kirsten, if you are on disability now, is there any way for a doctor to write a letter or etc so you can qualify for affordable adult-only housing?

No, I don't think there is such a thing in Germany, only old people's homes, and I'm not that old. lol

Kirsten I can so relate to what you are going through. Have you been checked by a doctor ? I have vestibular hyperacusis, caused by a severe head trauma when I was a child and I have major trouble with noise myself. We also in the country and I would never dream of living anywhere else. We used to live in town and the noise from regular everyday things bothered me no end. Since moving here 20 yrs ago it's like living in another world. Everything is super quiet, no subdivisions , everyone lives on acreage so any mowing or regular noise is so far away it doesn't bother me. All I hear are the sounds of nature which is a treat for me.

No, that hasn't been checked yet, but I will ask my doc. Thanks for telling me about it. Your home sounds like a dream to me, I would love to live in such a place!

I live in the suburbs and it's not really a loud neighborhood but there is a small airport and Boeing plant a few miles away from me. When I moved in 27 years ago, they didn't test planes at night and a small plane going overhead was very rare. Now my Saturdays are punctuated with plane after plane going over, commuters planes on weekdays, and planes being tested at night - those roars really travel on the night air.

That's another thing, they're building a big airport now in Kassel (30 km away), and the route for the landing planes will be right over my hometown. As far as I know, this also includes night flights. Is there any chance to get used to it? I hope that airport won't make things worse for me.

I fear that the house next to mine will be sold soon. My biggest fear is that a family with kids will move in. I know, not all kids are miserable to be around, but the house next to mine is in poor shape and I suspect some low life will buy it....

Ugh, that would be awful! Keeping my fingers crossed that this won't happen.

I thought of another example, Kirsten. Paul cannot stand wind chimes, and finds them horrible and discordant.

I actually love the sound of mine. It's funny that even with over sensitive hearing, we still have our own personal likes and dislikes, isn't it?

[Karen]

I actually love the sound of mine. It's funny that even with over sensitive hearing, we still have our own personal likes and dislikes, isn't it?

Yes, it is! I think the best thing to focus on now is what you can control. Even wear old-fashioned earphones that go over your ears, and play something you find soothing - might help both block out the external noise, and help you focus on something else. I find those big headphones way more comfortable than the "ear-bud" things, I must have really small ear canals, as they never fit me right, anyway. Even if you play soft soothing music or ocean sounds - you can find all sorts of stuff free online and sometimes even just language lessons - the voce repeating phrases over and over - can distract you enough from external noises and make you concentrate on what is coming out of the headphones instead ...

[Lizzie]

I thought of another example, Kirsten. Paul cannot stand wind chimes, and finds them horrible and discordant. I love them! I do think much of it is about how sensitive one's hearing is, as well as the environment one grew up in.

I utterly loathe, abominate and can't stand wind chimes. They make me feel as though all the nerves in my body are being scraped. I will immediately hunch my shoulders as soon as I hear one and get away from it as fast as I can. I'm relieved to hear that someone else, and someone who also has excellent hearing, finds them intolerable.

The people who lived next door to me for years had wind chimes and I was far more likely to close my windows on their side on a windy day than close them because of one of the frequent family rows. Like sasvermont I dreaded the thought of a family with children moving in, but in my case knew I was doomed to disappointment because I live half-a-mile away from a trio of prize-winning schools. So, yes, I got a single dad with two boys about 7 and 8 and one of the first things he did was buy them bb guns.

[Kirsten]

Yes, it is! I think the best thing to focus on now is what you can control. Even wear old-fashioned earphones that go over your ears, and play something you find soothing - might help both block out the external noise, and help you focus on something else. I find those big headphones way more comfortable than the "ear-bud" things, I must have really small ear canals, as they never fit me right, anyway. Even if you play soft soothing music or ocean sounds - you can find all sorts of stuff free online and sometimes even just language lessons - the voce repeating phrases over and over - can distract you enough from external noises and make you concentrate on what is coming out of the headphones instead ...

I can also listen to the music on my mp3-player, that would be soothing and I wouldn't hear the noise. But when I'm reading or writing, I cannot listen to any music, it's distracting me too much, and that's a huge problem in the summer time when it's loud. I love writing in the evening hours (some kind of biography, but only for myself, to cope with certain things), but I simply cannot do that at the moment. The other day, when I was helping a friend with a translation job, I tried ear plugs, but they made me feel as if I was under water, and I couldn't work that way.

So, yes, I got a single dad with two boys about 7 and 8 and one of the first things he did was buy them bb guns.

How very annoying!! Reminds me of that boy in the neighborhood. Another thing I hate are those bobby cars. Their wheels are making horrible sounds on the pavement, they're terribly loud. Always hated them.