I think this may be age-related. Any of you moms over age 45 beginning to get very irritated by noise? I am often about to scream when I go in certain mall stores that blast loud rock music, loud TV in a waiting room, etc.
I recall when I was a teen, I could tune out my crying neices but those sounds would drive my mama crazy. Now I am there!
Yes, Southern Yankee. I want to run!
No, I have not had my hearing tested. I won't. I'm not about to get a hearing aid. I will just remain irritable... Lol
I have always been irritated by certain noises. Tapping of fingers, OMG puts me in orbit. I have always been this way. My family thinks its funny. I can listen to loud music but my husband tapping his finger to the beat, puts me over the edge! =)
I'm 49 and I get it. I can't tolerate loud music like I used to. I can't stand loud tv. I make my husband wear the little earbuds that came with our roku remote so that I don't have to listen to his shows during the day. I just hate tv during the day anymore. He works second shift, so I can turn it off when he works. I like to watch tv at night just fine, though, so go figure. I also pick up on every little noise that no one else probably notices when I am trying to fall asleep. I'm blaming menopause, lol!
I started having this issue when I started losing my hearing in certain registers, the rest of the noise can feel overwhelming. I would suggest getting your hearing checked. Losing certain registers does not automatically mean hearing aids, but knowing what you are losing can help you find ways to compensate. For myself, I am losing the ranges for most human speech.
Have you had your hearing tested lately?
Ironically, loud noises and background noise in particular is much more irritating to people with minor hearing loss than it is to those with great hearing.
My (probably simplistic) understanding is that it's because your auditory system is trying so hard to hear important things (like someone talking to you) that it's difficult for it to tune out the background noise - which is what you did when you were younger with great hearing (you could tune out the background stuff because your hearing was good enough to still pick up important things at the same time).
YES!
Noise really bothers me much more than it use to.
And I have a harder time picking out words in a conversation if there's a lot of background noise.
When you don't have to listen closely - put some ear plugs in.
The squishy foam kind work great for me and I carry a pair with me where ever I go.
It's very interesting that you post this because I have also noticed lately (at 40) that I anmno longer able to tolerate some songs of my youth. Suddenly they trigger my misophonia with the repetition or are just are too noisy for my brain, which sounds like what mynewnickname described. Thanks for posting!
i am not even 40 yet and yes noise and chatter bother me
we ate at a brewery restaurant and it was so loud in there i could not wait to leave. will not return there because it was too loud for me.
i have days where i can tune out my kids noise but many days i find myself making them go outside just so i can have a moment of quiet! or i will go work in the garden just to get away from noise
Well, I don't think it's gender-related or age-related, necessarily. My friend is 40 and he cannot stand loud noise. I cannot have him in my car as he will turn down my music, which irritates me. He claims it is too loud, yet when I speak to him, he is always saying "what?" and says he cannot hear me. People think I am screaming at him when we hang out because that is the only way he can hear me, I think he has hearing problems. He also avoids rock concerts and pretty much anything he considers loud, crying children etc.
I have excellent hearing, can hear things from miles away, love loud music, concerts, and hanging with musicians, it's a positive energy I get from all these activities. What irritates me the most are people who honk, it puts me in a bad mood. Also, yelling. I cannot be anywhere where people are yelling or slamming doors, it raises my blood pressure and makes me feel trapped. All these things are associated with negativity. Curiously, I can tune out the crying kids at restaurants, even bad music in a restaurant (which my friend cannot seem to tune out).
My mother has confirmed hearing problems. I must scream when I talk to her, she blasts the TV and still manages to fall asleep with it so loud, and cannot hear a lot of small noises, like crickets (which are very high-pitched to me). Based on all these things, my theory is that it's more of a selective thing, like "this is what irritates me and I cannot tolerate" and pick and choose versus "I cannot stand any noises, they are all so very loud and everything upsets me." Notice you said only certain things irritate you, not all noises or that you have difficulty hearing or everything sounds magnified.
