over sensitive... anything i can do?

warning this is long but i felt i needed to provide background info...

ok so i've always been more sensitive to noise and smells than other people for as long as i can remember but it has never really been a problem. but in the last year or 2 it has gotten a LOT worse and now to the point of being debilitating. the smell sensitivity is not really a problem, just annoying but its the noise that has become untollarable (???) and now i am also sensitive to light and cold, which i never used to be

i had to buy blackout curtains and have blinds and these curtains shut all the time (unless its cloudy/raining etc) but if its bright sunny it still leaks around the edges and i can hardly see other things mainly tv/computer screens etc and it makes me frustrated. the cold makes winter unbearable, i feel like i have no heat inside me. i have lots of layers of thick clothes and STILL cold most of the time and been bundled up like this annoys me. also have heating on a lot and i really cant afford it. again i was never like this until around 2 years ago

but the thing thats really getting me down is the noise. ok before i go any further i have to mention that i am dole scum (on jobseekers allowance) and have been for the past 10 years. everyone hates me for it and i accept this so if this bothers you then please stop reading now. but anyway unlike most dole scum who enjoy it because to them its an easy life (something i really cant get my head around) for me it is absolute hell

apart from the lack of money for everything i need to pay for and always struggling to pay bills etc (and i know thats my fault for buy so much pointless crap in the past w/o thinking about the consequences) there is a lot more to it. also the abuse doesnt affect me now, im used to that i accept it, i also accept that i cant afford a lot of things and have to buy low quality things most of the time including supermarket value brans for pretty much all my food, so all that doesnt bother me. i also accept that i can only rent from council and that means i have to be surround by those other dole scum but the different sort, the type that are always drunk, high on drugs, violent and make as much noise as possible all day and night. they dont seem to sleep much if at all and they rarely go out and when they do its random and sometimes not very long... again i know that is what everyone else does

so heres the problem... i cannot tollerate this noise anymore. when i 1st moved here 8 years ago i could, i hated it, but it was only the really loud noise that bothered me back then like the thundering bass, actually that was all. the lower noises i could mentally block out (usually) when i was watching something or playing games or whatever. (by lower noises i mean there tv or banging around slamming doors and throwing stuff or whatever it is they do all the time). if it got too bad then i'd stop trying to do whatever i was doing and either use music or white noise to drown it out and do something i didnt need to hear. if it was stopping me from sleeping then id give up and stay awake and i could, id eventually sleep whenever they eventually did. and tbh i dont think it was THAT bad back then anyway. but the main point is for the most part i could deal with it, it never really affected me like its doing now

im not sure what changed i think i just developed an intollerance to it as it seemed to get worse gradually (the light and cold problems increased with it, actually the cold 1 seemed to come out of nowhere). also i should point out that im sure all these things are connected. i find it unlikely i have something like noise intollerance and light intollerance and something like raynauds all at the same time, esp when they've all got worse together (i did get put on raynauds tablets at 1 point and it made no difference). but anyway now for the cold i cant go outside in winter and if i need to then i can barely walk, i can barely even move, the light is probably a minor problem, but the noise well thats had a very detrimental effect on my overall health (physical and mental). which really sucks because i actually try to be healthy (exercise, eating, not smoking/drinking etc) but its all pointless because this takes over

i have been in a constant state of sleep deprivation for well over a year now and up to now i've managed to hide it. ive managed to get by on what sleep i could, the stress of having to deal with noise is also unbearable. all the things the sleep deprivation cause are also unbearable. i have no energy, i cant think straight, i make mistakes all the time because i cant concentrate, i forget everything, i feel like pure crap ALL the time, when i do sleep i wake up feeling like ive been hit by a truck no matter how much sleep i got. im extremely irritable and have no pateince or attention span at all. i snap at people over silly little things, i blow things out of proportion and only realise later how stupid i was, every little thing annoys me, like my hair touching my face/neck etc, even stupid things like that are enough to send me into a rage

now i spend all day with white noise blasting in my ears and sometimes even that doesnt block it out. i mostly give up watching stuff because i cant hear it because the racket seems to over power it no matter how loud i turn it up. i sometimes do when they are out, it seems like it has to be perfectly quiet. as for sleep i obv have to fit my sleeping pattern around theres which is very unatural (and short lived) and is a problem if i have to go out at normal times. and this what im dreading next week...

i have to sign on at 9.10 which means i would have to get up and get ready no later than 7 to get out on time. and that is just impossible if i can only get about 3 hours of sleep. it is possible i could get 4 hours but there is NO WAY i could get up. i have serious problems getting up because i am SO LAZY, i wake up feeling awful and can barely move and i feel worse when i try to get up, so i always get up late because it takes me ages to fully wake up properly. 4 hours isnt really enough (especially since i have to do that every night) so my only choice is to stay up all night so that im already awake for when i need to go out. now ive done this before, staying up like this and i managed, it just takes a lot of planning because i have to keep eating a lot rhough the night to stay awake but i can do it, the only peopnlem is the next day i always feel half dead for a few hours in the morning, around the time when ill be out so thats going to be a night mare but i suppose ill have to deal with it

ok so my question is... is there anyway to beat this over-sensitivity and be normal again? is there anyway to reduce it so i can deal with it like i used to? anything. i mean im so desperate now id consider ever taking meds (i hate meds with a passion) but then i hate this feeling even more. i just want to be able to do what i want/need when i want/need. now i know i am dole scum and this is what i deserve and maybe this is what im meant to go through. or maybe im meant to fix myself? since i didnt have this problem in the past. also now its not just there noise that irritates me but other things. like lawnmowers... in the summer the council are cutting the grass (twice a week i think) and its unbearable, now the council have been riding lawnmowers around all my entire life and it has never bothered me. also some other minor noises bother me like the fridge and other silly things that really shouldnt

please dont suggest things to block out the noise like i already use earplugs etc, soundproofing isnt an option (cant afford it) and moving is even LESS of an option. i know that nothing will block it out and its me that has the problem and that is what i want fixed. also been on the dole i have to be fit for work which i am definitley not but i have to try to fake it to them because i need the money for food/bills and have no other way of getting money but i wonder how long i can go on. obviously im going to look like a complete wreck on thursday but if they say anything ill just say i think im getting a cold which would be believable at this time of year. last year when i went they said i looked sick and i just said i was fine. also i know they are going to send me on some course sometime, they always do and its been a while since the last 1 (about this time last year) and i cant be staying up all night every night to get out and there on time. i have no idea what i could do there...

so i NEED to do something about it. i know its only going to get worse and worse and i cant take it anymore. i am a complete wreck all the time, not just look like it. i cant do anything. so please is there anything i can do to increase my tollerence of noise (and cold and light if thats possible but its mainly the noise) i realy need to do something about this before it gets any worse (i always say i dont think it could get any worse then it always does). most noises dont bother me (ive looked into hypercasus and it seems everyone cant stand people chewing or whatever but that doesnt bother me at all, in fact i dont even notice the sound of other people chewing or slopping there food. its mainly bass and loud thuds that rattle through the ceiling. nothing drowns it out and i cant drown it out mentaly anymore. i just want to be normal!

so does anyone else have this problem and know how to treat it? is there any meds that will fix this? anything. honestly like i said im desperate now...

p.s also i am not insomiac i used to be able to sleep ok mostly, now its noise keeping me awake and even when it does go quiet im still highly strung from all the stress an anxiety it caused when i was going on

I'm not a doctor and my advice should not be used or substituted for doctor advice. Prozac, or Paxil worked for me about a year ago when I had similar issues. Also, focusing on other things keeping my hands busy listening to music also helped. Everyone is different. I hope you find inner peace.

have you thought about going to a dr for an evaluation to see what may be causing it? it could be neurological. they would know if there are any meds that could help you.

Hello,

You say you are not an insomniac but you certainly are not getting enough sleep and sleep deprivation over a long period of time is going to exacerbate the anxiety and sensitivity to noise. It only takes a few days of no sleep for psychotic symptoms to start.

I was initially going to suggest ear plugs to wear at night to block out all noise but I realised on reading further that your issues are more to do with your lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation will make anxiety and depression worse which leads to higher sensitivity, irritability etc and it becomes a vicious circle. I say depression because you view yourself as dole scum when infact it doesn't sound like you purposely put yourself in that position. You are on the dole because of difficulties in finding work. Have you considered that your mental health may be the reason why things are so hard for you? I think you could look into disability as well. But first you need to go to your doctor and even show him what you have written here. There may be a physical health issue that we can't pick up here online. Have you had blood tests done recently? If it's not a physical issue then you still need help with your anxiety and nerves and the inability to get a good night's sleep. I don't know if you are taking medications for your anxiety already but even if you are, I do think there needs to be an adjustment.

thanks everyone

i have been thinking about going to the dr to ask about it, just wanted to get some opinions beforehand. i just dont know if they will do anything, they usually dont...

i also thought the sleep deprivation might be causing the sensitivity but i hoped i was wrong, because that means there is no escape from it the reason for not sleeping is purely because of the noise. last year when they went through a phase of all night raves i stayed at my mams a few times and apart from the 1st time when i was convinced there would be a loud thud above me (because thats what i was so used to) the other times i slept no problem. and i used to be able to. i know that if i wasnt here anymore (somewhere detatched i guess) then i wouldnt have sleep problems

i had some blood tests middle of last year and they all came back normal so nothing there. and i have been told im unfit for work a few times but not officially. im assuming this is why i cant get a job, i used to get interviews and even the ones i thought went well i was always rejected. now i realise it because they saw me as mentally unfit and i never stood a chance to start with...

i agree with pegasus, it only takes a few days for the pshycotic symptoms to come on. i hope you can find some peace. i have no good advice but to let you know i care, and maybe you can talk to your doc about the problem again.good luck, i'm sorry you are going through such a hard time, i've experienced the noise problem several different times in different apartments, but ended up moving each time.

Regarding a job....when you are feeling a little better and you can tolerate the outside world, I would try and volunteer somewhere.. someone will see and value your abilities. It's easier for someone to see you in action than look over a resume and meet you one time to decide if you are the right person for the job.

Volunteering could take your brain off some of the things that are making your life so unbearable?

Hope you find relief soon.

i wish moving was an option for me but its just impossible. i have no idea how other people "move" unless they have the money to buy a house or whatever. even renting privately is too expensive plus they dont take dole scum. theres also the fact that anywhere i would move to would be the same. theres been loads of different people upstairs/next door since i lived here and they've all been pretty much the same apart from whoever was next door when i 1st moved here, never really heard anything from them, but the morons upstairs made more than enough to make up for it

what annoys me is that i dealt with it back then and i just dont know how and thats where i want to get back to. been able to deal with it. it never did this to me (im struggling to find the right words/way to describe it) but i just cant function anymore. i cant do anything. i can barely stand up sometimes. and i certainly cant do anything that requires too much thinking. i dont know whats changed or if its just that its getting too much to handle now. i dont know but i really want to be like how i was when i 1st moved here and was still able to do normal things adults did (to some extent, i mean theres always been something wrong with me but ive always managed to cope until now

volunteering would just be the same as having a job but w/o the money (which i what i desperately need a job for). tbh now i know i wouldnt be able to work even if someone gave me a job tomorrow i'd fail miserably at it. people have been telling me this for a while now but i always argued against i, now i see they were right all along. i feel so stupid

also now that i've had to adjust to upstairs morons sleeping pattern, which is totally unnatural and just totally messed me up) theres now way i can get up on time to get to a normal starting time job. like i think i said (or maybe i didnt) i have to sign on at 9 on thursday so i have to stay up all night before because there is no way i can get up after just a few hours sleep. there sleeping pattern seems to be from around 3am - 10am so thats what i've been forced to accept and i hate it. its stupid because most of the morning is gone and thats the best time to do things esp that involve going out

im thinking about going to the docs, but im not sure exactly what should say, to get them to take notice and take it seriously. i dont want them just saying use earplugs and all that crap everyone says because i already do, i've tried pretty much everything, but it doesnt change how my brain is dealing (or not dealing) with it. thats what i need to do. she will most likely just refer me to the counseller and theres usually a long waiting list. and i dont se how talking about it will help, but i suppose its worth a shot. id rather they gave me something (temporary) to help me along until its fixed...

You are making to many assumptions and they are getting in your way of your seeking healing. See a doctor and do not make any assumptions before hand. Stop making any assumption about any thing or anyone, and just do what you need to do, in order to heal.

I have the same problem with my upstairs and downstairs "neighbors". I don't have an answer but I truly empathize with what you are going through. I use earplugs and loud music (though it doesn't block out their bass).

Sent from my A0001

Show the doctor this post and replies...I think he will see it. I have been so depressed or full of anxiety that I could not move my brain or body - I ended up in the hospital -
that was over 9 yrs ago - it went up from there.

I agree with brainhi - show your doctor your original post. Just please: Do see a doctor and try to get some help.

I feel so bad for you. I am also hyper-sensitive and while I have been blessed with many people in my life who understand and empathize, there are also those who criticize me for how I am...as if that helps.

I cannot sleep anymore without earplugs. I also wrap a soft cotton cloth across my eyes so it's very dark. Interestingly, I hung a strand of little red lights over my bed and that, for whatever reason, gives me great comfort. I currently live in a ghetto full of noise and depression and cannot wait for the day, someday, when I move away from this place.

Peace, brother.

Me too!

the assumptions are based on whats happened in the past, not making it up,

earplugs are pretty useless, they block out low level sounds that dont matter so much and muffle medium sounds and do nothing for the really bad noise

well its tonight i have to try to stay up, going to be a complete wreck tomorrow when i have to go out, been dreading it the past 2 weeks and now its finally here i wish it was over. i just had pasta with cheese sauce which seems to be the best thing to keep me awake...

people also critisize me for it, just say toughen up, other people can tollerate it. this is a council estate full of drunks. doesnt help theres a pub over the back, never really thought about that when i moved here

i will see the doctor but what will they do?

What kind of ear plugs have you used? There are foam ones that work well.

Give you something for your anxiety hopefully and then you will be able to get some sleep.

the bright orange foam ones, they have been the best out of all the ones i've tried. some just dont work, some fall out, some dont squish enough to go in. these ones stay smaller when you squish them then expand and block out some noise

ill see what she says, i might have to go to a counseller though

Jesus,I didn't think anyone else experienced what I
went through,but you have! First,the light:Use thumb-tacks for the sides of cover your using. The
noise,I am like you,it drives me up the wall,but in
quiet flat now. You COULD move to private renting and council will pay rent through housing
benefit. It is imperative you get somewhere else to
live;it is having to bear this noise,and the resultant
sleep deprivation,that is making everything else
unbearable. God,I do feel for you,no one knows
what this is like unless they've experienced it.
I know you have used earplugs which don't cut it,
so maybe you could use my home made ones. Go
into any art store and ask for a 'putty rubber', then
go to 'Boots' and get their own make of wax plugs.
When you have these,take a small bit of rubber and
a small bit of waxplug and merge these together
using some heat from fire or cooker;go easy with
the wax,you only need enough to make the mix
pliable. Then try in ears for size. Once you get the
right fit for self,they are bloody good I tell you.
Do each ear individually,both ears won't be same.
Do inquire about housing benefit,then you can get
the hell out of there--I KNOW it is hard,and you
have experienced a lot of pain and misery,but you
MUST make this final effort for dear self.I dearly
hope this is of some help to you.
God Bless,
BLUEDOVE

Yes i agree with Thunder Bow

i have looked into that and the private ones wont take dole scum, they want people with secure incomes i suppose, and they prob think were all drunks and the housing benefit didnt cover the rent and couldnt afford what was left

the staying up thing wasnt so bad + managed the next day when i was out but later i felt awful + half dead it was torture then yesterday i couldnt get up and stayed in bed until 5.30pm !!! thats never happened before need to sort myself out

sorry for typos etc im writing on my phone coz my internet is down (something else to cause more stress i really dont need!)