Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone can help me/give advice on this matter
Yesterday there was this alarm going off in the shop/shop next to me (idk where it went off exactly) but it was insanely load. Loader than the fire alarm at work. We were made to leave the shop while was going off with the door to it closing (idk what was going on other than someone saying it was a fire alarm and wait for instructions, mind I think it was a faulty alarm)
Anyway, this alarm was very load. Too loud for my liking. It made me feel dizzy, scared, a bit sick and made me wanna curl up in a ball and cry. Luckily I was with someone I know, so I was clinging onto them when it was happening. Also it made me start having an attack, I um unsure on how to describe it other than it felt near enough like a panic attack. I would normally cover my ears if a noise is too much for me but unfortunately I was unable to do so this time.
Ofc I tried to calm myself down by using breathing technique, but it's the noise was unbearable
I found it a bit overwhelming on a busy buss with lots of people talking. However I've been told by my parents that I never liked load noises, but honestly I don't remember and just don't understand.
I am diagnosed with Asperger's (Autism) when I was about 8 and now in my mid 20's I'm learning more and more about myself. Along with trying to learn how I can help myself in these situations
Is there any ideas how I can help/cope with such noises in these situations other than breathing techniques?
What you are experiencing is sensory overload. It can feel like a panic attack, in that your body is trying to get you away from the unbearable sensory assault. However unlike a panic attack breathing techniques are unlikely to help in such a situation.
Meg said:I would normally cover my ears if a noise is too much for me but unfortunately I was unable to do so this time.
I'm assuming you were just too overwhelmed to think of doing so at the time.
The best thing you can do is to use some form of ear protection and then move as far away from the noise as possible, until the level begins to be tolerable. It helps to have someone with you if you are not aware of traffic and danger while you are in that state.
I am extremely noise sensitive too and I have a variety of things I use to help with that, such as earplugs, ear defenders and noise cancelling headphones. Whenever I go out I always wear some earplugs on a cord around my neck, then if there is an unexpected noise I can access them very quickly.
Thank you and yes at the time I was too overwhelmed.
But I now know what to do next time, as well as telling others (who I tend to be with) how they can help me if I'm in that kind of situation again.
Sadly with yesterday, I couldn't move away from the sound as the person who was with me was about to pay for some stuff just when the alarm went off. As of this and that I was too overwhelmed, I didn't have the energy to move away from the noise
I will definitely look into some noise cancelling headphones/ earplugs for myself