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Anxiety over fire alarms!

NAS69502
over 3 years ago

Hey, I'm a university student and i am currently living in halls of residance at uni. I feel like I made a mistake because I realised that there are fire alarms in each room and I know its there to keep people safe, but whenever I'm in my room, I always have the fear that it will go off. I'm not scared of the loud noise but the sudden unexpected jump scare when it comes, and it creates this uncomfortable feeling.

At the moment, I'm at home but living at uni means I can focus well on my studies and improving myself. I'm waiting for support but does anyone have any tips?

Thank you so much x

  • over 3 years ago in reply to Future Aussie

    Thank you so much! Your answer was so sweet. x I'm thinking of staying halls this week because I would love to have some independence. :) 

  • over 3 years ago

    Hi lovely. I'm a student who is on the spectrum and I live in halls, and although I mostly love it (I have a studio flat so I have my own space; I lived in a shared flat in my first year and made some really lovely friends, though, even if we did have our fair share of drama!) fire alarms are something that stresses me out as well! I feel exactly the same as you - it's not so much the noise (although the noise is pretty horrible!) but more the jump scare. Unfortunately they're a part of life in Halls as, as you say, they're to keep everyone safe. Ours get tested every Tuesday lunchtime, and knowing when it's going to be tested puts my mind at ease when it does happen. It might be worth talking to your student support services and explaining that you're on the spectrum (if they don't already know) and that you find the fire alarm overwhelming, and that it would really help you if they could tell you when they're going to test the alarms? As others have said, apart from testing and an occasional drill (which literally happens at most twice a year, and usually only once; it's just to ensure that everyone knows the safety procedures if there were ever a real fire) it's quite uncommon that fire alarms go off in halls. Honestly, the first step towards conquering a fear is to acknowledge you're scared, so perhaps acknowledging that it bothers you may help you along in managing it. An important thing to remember is that a fire alarm, while noisy and unarguably quite anxiety-provoking, won't harm you - if anything it will protect you from harm. Try to think of it as your slightly noisy, OTT, squealy friend!Laughing I would honestly recommend that you stay in halls as much as possible, as it does help you focus and it also it helps you build up your social life. Being at uni is one of the best things ever, and as a third year I advise you to enjoy it as much as you can (even though I know that's easier said than done sometimes, especially this year) because it really does go by so quickly! I really hope you get the right support - there is plenty of it at uni if you need it. A pesky fire alarm shouldn't have the right to ruin your fun!Relaxed

  • over 3 years ago in reply to Deleted user

    Yeah I do know I will end up alive but hopefully I get the right support! Thank you though x.

  • over 3 years ago in reply to Deepthought

    Thank You! x Yeah i'm thinking of getting ear plugs and also CBT.

  • over 3 years ago in reply to aidie

    Thank you so much on your advice! I will definterly consider it! x

  • over 3 years ago

    Hey :) I wouldn't worry about them, they're very uncommon, and you only need to deal with it once it comes. Fire alarms are meant to be shocking, as it's an emergency situation so you have to stop everything. It might be uncomfortable but you stay alive x

  • over 3 years ago
    NAS69502 said:
    Hey, I'm a university student and i am currently living in halls of residance at uni. I feel like I made a mistake because I realised that there are fire alarms in each room and I know its there to keep people safe, but whenever I'm in my room, I always have the fear that it will go off. I'm not scared of the loud noise but the sudden unexpected jump scare when it comes, and it creates this uncomfortable feeling.
    In assuming you mean one of these sorts of ceiling fire alarms:
    Are you imagining perhaps that they just go off randomly rather than expectedly on account of smoke, keeping in mind that it takes a build-up of smoke to set them off ~ such as for instance the thin 'grey' smoke of an incense stick or two will not activate such fire alarms, whilst the 'thicker' black smoke of burning food usually does and of course material and plastics etcetera catching and being on fire do?
    .
    Maybe (if the alarms are as pictured) do a smoke test with an increasing number of incense sticks where the objective 'is' to purposefully set the fire alarms off (warn everybody of course before hand), and then deactivate them by turning them off using the centre button ~ so that you are in control and know what to do if you accidentally set them off.
    .
    Possibly use ear plugs and ear defenders or headphones to minimise the sound of the alarm/s if you do the activation and deactivation practice run or runs. Maybe do a number of practice runs at home until you are all causal and well practised with fire alarms.
    .
    In this way you may be able to establish an experienced and purposeful relationship with fire-alarms as being master or mistress of them as being your servants ~ rather than the roles being reversed as having a panicked and inexperienced anxious relationship with them, sort of thing. 
    .
    If any of that helps perhaps?
    .
    Oh and of course welcome as member to this website of forums! Relaxed
  • over 3 years ago

    i do understand the anticipation  --- i create these triggers as well.

    uni isn't just about learning it also about learning to cope yourself. So this is your new learning experience a challenge put to u by Nature/Logos/the Gods/the universe. The challenge to not let a Feckin fire alarm stop u doing what u love doing.

    DO NOT DO A SMOKE TEST in the halls of residence the entire hall could be evacuated  and then u could be billed for the hastle and fire engine attendance or simply expelled from uni.   I have experienced this and the book was thrown at the student ( who was smoking )  because other students were injured in the panic to get out ( 14 floors tower )

    so find out from the hall controller/manager what happens if it goes off. ask if it is a mains or battery smoke alarm.  Ask if u can have yours turned off or swapped for a visional one ( no noise but flashes ) . be upfront as to why you are asking these questions ( scared of  the potential of it going off )

    buy a battery  smoke alram online ( 5 quid ) and set it off at home under a pillow and wearing headphones / earplugs at first by using the test button then make a cup of tea or anything relaxing immediately afterwards.

    make sure your windows are closed so as to not attract/disturb/trigger neighbour,s

    while is is going off listen very carefully to the sound,,, investigate the sound,, does it go up and down or wobble ? which part of your body is tensing up ?

    repeat above about 3 times over a week.

    then without pillow

    then without head phone

    OR 

    for free listen to the sounds here  ( low vol ..>>>> .... high vol with headphones on )

    soundbible.com/tags-fire-alarm.html

    search online for more to get a good range of annoying sounds 

    please bear in mind smoke alarms where designed to be very annoying so they get u out of the building.