It's been a goodly number of years for me too. No, you are NOT alone. Part of why I don't go out much is because at home at least I get to control the environment. I listen to soft music, meditate, keep to myself. Loud, sharp, sudden noises always have me jumping out of my skin. Freak me out? Oh yeah. I know how that feels.

The good news is that over time that hyper state becomes less and less constant. Used to be I was utterly paralyzed at the thought of leaving the house, of going anywhere or doing anything, because the slightest thing would leave me destroyed and crying, trying to escape. Now I get out some, even go for walks in the park sometimes.

I remember back a bunch of years ago as I was walking into a grocery store with my SIL, the PA tone came on and that was it, I was done. I didn't even hear the announcement, I just turned around and went back to the car. It was a store I shopped in often, but for a while I couldn't go back.

Now I manage to go shopping on my own regularly. Almost NEVER during the daytime.

But yeah, loud noise, anything happening suddenly I can't see or control, even then things freak me out . . .

{{{{{{{berries}}}}}}}}