I just discovered this thread and it is a god-send to learn that I am not the only one bothered by loud talking, a loud TV or stereo, yapping dogs, slamming doors, etc.
There have been times that I could just jump in front of the subway because it would mean that I would no longer feel jittery from loud music coming from a colleague's cubicle. I'm not normally anxious and am not at all depressed or suffering from PSTD or anything else like that, so thought I must just be crazy (not to mention annoying to any friends and family who I ask to turn down the noise or lower the volume on their talking.
I guess misery really does enjoy company, as the expression goes, as I feel better that I am not the only one with this problem (and that I don't have the worst case of it). My heart goes out to everyone who has posted here. I do hope that one day we can get the people who don't understand this terrible ailment to understand it.
BTW: in my case the combo of ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones don't help as they muffle everything except the higher pitched sounds, and those are what bother me the most.
Julienne Essex
March, 6 2019 at 2:32 pm