Why am I overly sensitive to sudden sounds and interruptions that others can ignore or filter out?

[Rock]

I have had the same problem for many years but have reduced it considerably with meditation. It's not the sound you are reacting too, but your resistance to the sound. I practice fully accepting sounds, because they are reality, and thus resistance serves no purpose but to create suffering. When you do this the irritation goes away. Start out trying it with simple sounds like a dog barking. Listen to the bark and concentrate fully on the sound as only sound - don't even form a perception of a "dog barking". That's where the resistance comes in - you then form thoughts "Why doesn't someone shut up that dog", etc. that increases the resistance. A meditation instructor would be fully aware of this type of problem and could give you further instructions. If you practice consistently, it will eventually begin to work for unexpected sounds. The Western psychobabble won't help you one bit.

I am glad we are discussing this topic as I live in Taiwan and I really suffer from the very noisy environment here. And in the last few weeks a new source of terrible irration has appeared from the floors above my apartment. It sounds like a water pump that can go off at any time. The duration varies from a couple seconds to half a minute. The volume, intensity and pitch and tone can also change. To me this is akin to torture by sound because of it's unpredictability. So if there is some kind of meditation that can help me with this particular problem and the myriad sources of noise here, I would be very interested to learn about it.

The water pump's mounting probably needs some work to dampen the noise level.

Ask around to see if anyone complained of low water pressure and someone adjusted the pump settings. If the pressure is set too high it will cause leaks.

Momopi the Plumber

[momopi]

I look at houses on the weekends a lot and saw many incidents where the resident made the mistake of turning up the water pressure and causing leaks, water damage, mold, etc.

The water coming in to the house can have >100+ psi pressure, so most homes have a water pressure reducing valve to keep it at a safe level (40-45 psi?). But if there was some clogging and the water pressure is low at the tap or shower head, the resident (home owner or renter) sometimes make the mistake of cracking up the pressure to 70-80+ psi. After a while you'd get leaks and water damage, which is a pain to fix.

I don't have a lot of experiance with mid rise buildings, but if the pump is noisy the first thing I would look at is the mounting / brackets.

There are many thing you can do to reduce noise level in a home. For example, noise reduction window replacements. If that is not an option, heavy curtains over the window would also reduce noise level from outside. At studios they use noise control curtains made with felt blankets.

[Winston]

f**k MAN! WHAT IS GOD OR THE UNIVERSE DOING TO ME?! THESE f***ing CHIRPING GECKOS AT MY HOUSE ARE FREAKING ME OUT AND MAKING ME CUSS OUT LOUD "COME ON!!!!!!" AND CAUSING ME TO EXPERIENCE NEAR HEART ATTACKS!!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING GOD!!!!!?????? f**k ITS ANNOYING!!!!!!!! I HATE ASIA BECAUSE OF SO MANY FRIGGIN ANNOYING THINGS LIKE THIS!!!!!! THE GECKOS ALWAYS CHIRP SO SUDDENLY AND LOUDLY WHEN I'M WRITING OR IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING AND MAKE ME JUMP AND FREAK OUT AND GIVE ME A NEAR HEART ATTACK!!!!! f**k MAN! WHY DOESN'T GOD PUT HIMSELF IN MY POSITION AND EXPERIENCE THIS TOO SO HE WILL KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE????!!!!!! I HATE IT!!!!!!! f***ing GECKOS!!!!! f**k THEM!!!!!!! I KEEP YELLING AT THEM TO STOP BUT THEY WON'T!!!!! CAN'T THESE STUPID GECKOS FEEL WHEN I'M PISSED AT THEM? I THOUGHT ANIMALS CAN PICK UP ON VIBES AND ENERGY? f***ing GECKOS!

WHY DOESN'T GOD JUST LET ME GO BACK TO EUROPE INSTEAD? THERE I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM? i HATE ASIA! I DON'T FIT IN ASIA! I'M NOT A WORKAHOLIC OR CONFORMIST, NOR DO I LIVE TO WORK, NOR AM I MATERIALISTIC. SO WHY WOULD I BE IN ASIA? I FIT MUCH BETTER IN EUROPE WHERE @hypermak AND @Yohan CAME FROM! WHY DOES THE UNIVERSE ALWAYS GIVE YOU THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU WANT AND PUT YOU WHERE YOU DON'T BELONG?! f***ing ANNOYING! WHAT IS GOD DOING?! WHAT IS GOD SMOKING?!

ALSO EVERYDAY THERE ARE f***ing ANTS CRAWLING ON ME AND COCKROACHES I HAVE TO SCOOP UP AND THROW OUTSIDE (BECAUSE VEGETARIANS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO KILL THINGS, NEITHER ARE NEW AGERS OR BUDDHISTS). IT'S f***ing ANNOYING! WHY DID GOD ALLOW ASIA TO BE LIKE THIS? WHY DOESN'T GOD COME HERE AND EXPERIENCE IT FOR HIMSELF HOW ANNOYING IT IS TO HAVE ANTS AND INSECTS EVERYWHERE CRAWLING ON YOU AND BITING YOU AND FLYING IN YOUR FACE, ETC? AND SEE HOW HE LIKES IT?! f**k MAN! IF ONLY I WAS IN EUROPE WHERE I BELONG SO I WOULND'T NEED TO PUT UP WITH ANY OF THIS! WHY DOES GOD LIKE TO ANNOY ME SO MUCH?! WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM?!

[Winston]

I really need to start wearing ear plugs or I'm gonna freak out and have a heart attack and higher blood pressure! These sudden sounds are killing me God damm it! How do normal people tolerate them?! I don't get it. f**k!

[yick]

You are obviously suffering from 'lockdown fever' but try and get some sense of perspective of it all. This lockdown won't last forever, there are things you can do something about and some things you can't - you aren't going to stop a gecko making its racket.

Europe isn't a fantasy land, it has its problems just like everywhere, have you ever wondered why @hypermak and @Yohan left Europe? It aint that great!

[Winston]

I've had sound sensitivity since I was a teenager. It's nothing new. It just gets worse when I'm unhappy. Some people cannot filter out sounds. See the Schopenhauer article above.

Europe can be a fantasy land if I believe it is or perceive it as one, at least for a while. Remember perception is subjective. And we see what we believe. Plus everyone knows my soul is much more European than Asian.

Of course Europe has pros and cons. Everywhere does. But that doesn't mean you won't be happier in some places than others. Everywhere is not equal. We all know that. At least I feel more in my element in Europe and Russia. That's really what counts.

[yick]

I've had sound sensitivity since I was a teenager. It's nothing new. It just gets worse when I'm unhappy. Some people cannot filter out sounds. See the Schopenhauer article above.

Europe can be a fantasy land if I believe it is or perceive it as one, at least for a while. Remember perception is subjective. And we see what we believe. Plus everyone knows my soul is much more European than Asian.

Of course Europe has pros and cons. Everywhere does. But that doesn't mean you won't be happier in some places than others. Everywhere is not equal. We all know that. At least I feel more in my element in Europe and Russia. That's really what counts.

Your soul sounds far more like an American - there is nothing about you from what you type on here that denotes that you have a 'European' soul. How are you European in your soul?

You might be happier in Europe but unless you have an EU passport, then you will have to be happy for 90 out of every 180 days.

[Light]

f**k MAN! WHAT IS GOD OR THE UNIVERSE DOING TO ME?! THESE f***ing CHIRPING GECKOS AT MY HOUSE ARE FREAKING ME OUT AND MAKING ME CUSS OUT LOUD "COME ON!!!!!!" AND CAUSING ME TO EXPERIENCE NEAR HEART ATTACKS!!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING GOD!!!!!?????? f**k ITS ANNOYING!!!!!!!! I HATE ASIA BECAUSE OF SO MANY FRIGGIN ANNOYING THINGS LIKE THIS!!!!!! THE GECKOS ALWAYS CHIRP SO SUDDENLY AND LOUDLY WHEN I'M WRITING OR IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING AND MAKE ME JUMP AND FREAK OUT AND GIVE ME A NEAR HEART ATTACK!!!!! f**k MAN! WHY DOESN'T GOD PUT HIMSELF IN MY POSITION AND EXPERIENCE THIS TOO SO HE WILL KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE????!!!!!! I HATE IT!!!!!!! f***ing GECKOS!!!!! f**k THEM!!!!!!! I KEEP YELLING AT THEM TO STOP BUT THEY WON'T!!!!! CAN'T THESE STUPID GECKOS FEEL WHEN I'M PISSED AT THEM? I THOUGHT ANIMALS CAN PICK UP ON VIBES AND ENERGY? f***ing GECKOS!

[Winston]

Yick,
My soul is part american too. You're not very perceptive yick. If my soul was American then why dont i love football, baseball and basketball? Why dont i love guns? Why arent i always optimistic and say "I'm doing great today!" Like americans always do? Why dont i live to work? Etc. Think about it man. Why does every simple thing need to be spelled out to you?

I am interested in European culture. I study philosophy, Plato, Rome, etc. Europeans are also into history and philosophy like me. Americans are not. Europeans work to live, not live to work. Europeans live to have rich meaningful experiences in life, not for career. Talk to european travelers. They dont live to work. Same as me. Europeans are better at holding deep meaningful conversations. Americans think youre a nerd if you're deep. Europeans like substance not flash, same as me. Americans like flash, not substance. Europeans are down to earth, not as fake as americans. European men are more intellectual and broad minded and know more about other cultures than americans do. Europeans are very curious about other cultures. Americans are not. These European traits all fit me too of course. Can't you tell? It should be obvious.

My soul is also romantic and passionate like an Italian Romeo or Casanova. Ask people who know me in real life. Americans haven't been romantic since the 1960s. America is a practical culture. Only Hollywood is romantic. I would fit in Hollywood too if they'd let me into their clique. But not in mainstream America.

Should i go on? Do you need more examples? Isn't that plenty? How can you not see all that? Why do you never see the big picture? I've mentioned all this before many times.

[Winston]

Thats not the kind of gecko we have here. The one here is small and green and chirps loudly like a bird.

[Light]

Thats not the kind of gecko we have here. The one here is small and green and chirps loudly like a bird.

Maybe you could make a youtube video and get many viewers. There aren't enough Gecko sounds on youtube and that might get a lot of viewers. I know I would be interested to hear what the green Geckos in Taiwan sound when they chirp.

When you're in Taiwan do you live in a city, town, or a rural area to hear the Geckos chirping?

[yick]

Yick,
My soul is part american too. You're not very perceptive yick. If my soul was American then why dont i love football, baseball and basketball? Why dont i love guns? Why arent i always optimistic and say "I'm doing great today!" Like americans always do? Why dont i live to work? Etc. Think about it man. Why does every simple thing need to be spelled out to you?

I am interested in European culture. I study philosophy, Plato, Rome, etc. Europeans are also into history and philosophy like me. Americans are not. Europeans work to live, not live to work. Europeans live to have rich meaningful experiences in life, not for career. Talk to european travelers. They dont live to work. Same as me. Europeans are better at holding deep meaningful conversations. Americans think youre a nerd if you're deep. Europeans like substance not flash, same as me. Americans like flash, not substance. Europeans are down to earth, not as fake as americans. European men are more intellectual and broad minded and know more about other cultures than americans do. Europeans are very curious about other cultures. Americans are not. These European traits all fit me too of course. Can't you tell? It should be obvious.

My soul is also romantic and passionate like an Italian Romeo or Casanova. Ask people who know me in real life. Americans haven't been romantic since the 1960s. America is a practical culture. Only Hollywood is romantic. I would fit in Hollywood too if they'd let me into their clique. But not in mainstream America.

Should i go on? Do you need more examples? Isn't that plenty? How can you not see all that? Why do you never see the big picture? I've mentioned all this before many times.

You're nothing like a European person, you keep on bragging about your intellect and how 'smart' you are which is a very North American trait - I know lots of Americans and that is a lot of them do a lot, and also you are very competitive and like to debate and argue a lot and are adept at one-upmanship - like you're doing now... this is not something Europeans generally tend to do.

Do you agree with free health care and a social welfare system - most Europeans, even the right-wing ones, support this. Europeans love football and a lot of European countries love basketball. Lots of Americans aren't enamoured with gun culture.

I am a European, you aren't - your outlook is very American and probably very Californian. In fact, you have never lived in Western Europe - have you ever visited? I think you should go and stay there for your 90 days before you utter another word.

[HouseMD]

Why am I so sensitive to sound and feel so attacked and violated by it? I've been like this since I was 15.

A sudden sound to me is like a physical object striking me. Either way it's an intrusion that I sometimes lash back at with a temper tantrum, especially if I was in the middle of a thought or intention, in which case will be blocked and thwarted. Sounds are like a direct stop and interference with whatever thought or intention I had at the time.

How come other people aren't like that? It seems they tolerate interruptions like they are normal and in the flow of things. To me, interruptions are like a major diversion off course.

Do other people have some kind of mental filter in them that prevents sounds from affecting them? If so, how did my filter disappear?

Or am I just extremely sensitive to things like sound? I know one other guy who's like this, and he is also a deep insightful intellectual writer too. Are artistic and insightful people more likely to be like this?

Is there a name for this condition? Is it a kind of mental disorder?

PS - Murphy's law seems to work through it too, or perhaps the "law of attraction". When I'm with my parents, my mom belches like every other minute when I'm around, which drives me crazy and causes me to yell out in pain and anguish. My dad actually says that when I'm NOT around, she belches much less. Often at the start of the day, it doesn't even begin until I arrive! As soon as I am around, the belching starts again. It's like what I want to stop the most actually goes up in frequency when I'm around! Very weird. It might be something subconscious on her part, the law of attraction at work, or Murphy's Law.

It legitimately sounds like you have autism, which would also explain many of your other quirks.

[Winston]

Yick,
My soul is part american too. You're not very perceptive yick. If my soul was American then why dont i love football, baseball and basketball? Why dont i love guns? Why arent i always optimistic and say "I'm doing great today!" Like americans always do? Why dont i live to work? Etc. Think about it man. Why does every simple thing need to be spelled out to you?

I am interested in European culture. I study philosophy, Plato, Rome, etc. Europeans are also into history and philosophy like me. Americans are not. Europeans work to live, not live to work. Europeans live to have rich meaningful experiences in life, not for career. Talk to european travelers. They dont live to work. Same as me. Europeans are better at holding deep meaningful conversations. Americans think youre a nerd if you're deep. Europeans like substance not flash, same as me. Americans like flash, not substance. Europeans are down to earth, not as fake as americans. European men are more intellectual and broad minded and know more about other cultures than americans do. Europeans are very curious about other cultures. Americans are not. These European traits all fit me too of course. Can't you tell? It should be obvious.

My soul is also romantic and passionate like an Italian Romeo or Casanova. Ask people who know me in real life. Americans haven't been romantic since the 1960s. America is a practical culture. Only Hollywood is romantic. I would fit in Hollywood too if they'd let me into their clique. But not in mainstream America.

Should i go on? Do you need more examples? Isn't that plenty? How can you not see all that? Why do you never see the big picture? I've mentioned all this before many times.

You're nothing like a European person, you keep on bragging about your intellect and how 'smart' you are which is a very North American trait - I know lots of Americans and that is a lot of them do a lot, and also you are very competitive and like to debate and argue a lot and are adept at one-upmanship - like you're doing now... this is not something Europeans generally tend to do.

Do you agree with free health care and a social welfare system - most Europeans, even the right-wing ones, support this. Europeans love football and a lot of European countries love basketball. Lots of Americans aren't enamoured with gun culture.

I am a European, you aren't - your outlook is very American and probably very Californian. In fact, you have never lived in Western Europe - have you ever visited? I think you should go and stay there for your 90 days before you utter another word.

Did you even read what I said? You don't sound very intellectual Yick. No offense. The European backpackers and travelers and that I meet on airplanes seem a lot different than you. You sound more American than European.

Have you read the book "The European Dream" by Jeremy Rifkin? It explains a lot of what I said, that Europeans believe in social connection and meaningful experiences, while Americans believe in isolation and private property, etc. I quoted a lot from that book before.

Everyone knows that Europeans "work to live" and Americans "live to work". Many also say that Europeans are better at holding more substantive conversations and more deep and broad minded. Many Americans who went to Europe noticed this. Europeans also see Europe as being more free than America.

Yes I believe in national healthcare. Why not? No I am not into soccer. But I am into history, art and philosophy. Those subjects are more popular with European men than with American men.

I do not brag dude. Ask anyone on here if I brag like many Americans do. I do not boast about all the women I've laid or all the money I've made, like lots of western men I've met. I do not exaggerate numbers or inflate them and claim that I've made a ton of money and spent a ton of money too like many white American men do.

Yick, you don't sound very bright. No offense. But if you aren't broad minded and intellectual, then you must be humble, not arrogant and judgmental. Being not smart and yet arrogant and judgmental is the WORST combination of traits you can have. If you aren't smart, you should be humble. If you are smart, you can be more arrogant because you see a bigger picture and are wiser than most. You don't sound wise or broad minded like other Europeans I've met. You're just a man with an opinion, I don't see why your opinion is credible.

In truth, I am a hybrid of European, American and Asian traits. My soul is very European though. I feel much more familiar in European surroundings and feel a strong familiarity, like I've had many past lives in Europe and used to belong to the hive mind there. I definitely don't connect to the hive mind in Asia or America, that's for sure.

Plus I'm a freethinker and freespirit, so I transcend culture.

Now I don't know if you believe in past lives, but if you do, why don't you consider that I was European in my past lives? Perhaps more than one? Why do you deny it? New Agers and spiritual people would not deny such things if I told them about it. Why do you? Because you're narrow and arrogant? Well not everyone is like you.

Do you even know about the all the research for reincarnation? Like the research of Dr. Ian Stevenson, or the University of VIrginia consciousness studies and research, or all the many compelling well documented cases of reincarnation that skeptics and atheists can't explain away? Just because you are ignorant and closed minded and narrow and don't know about such research, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You know that right? Just because you don't know something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Just because you deny something, doesn't make it any less true. Do you understand that? And just because something doesn't fit in your belief system, doesn't make it untrue. It could be that you are simply wrong. Did you consider that? Or are you an arrogant atheist prick like RIchard Dawkins and believe you have the whole truth and that everything else that doesn't fit into it must be false automatically? lol

See these compelling true cases of reincarnation I posted here:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7149

Why don't you ask other Europeans here, such as: @hypermak, @Yohan or @Das verlorene Reich or @MarcosZeitola to see what they think?

Again, if I was truly American: I'd be into baseball, football, basketball, WWF wrestling, monster truck rallies, etc. I'd live to work and believe the purpose in life is to get a job. I'd have a cat or dog in my house. I'd always say "I'm doing great!" when asked how are you. I'd always have optimistic predictions for the future, because American culture requires you to always be optimistic. I'd love to tip and overtip, which I don't (see the tipping thread). I would not be curious about other cultures. I would not be into philosophy, art, history, etc. I would be independent and love isolation shun social connection and want to be left alone. Think about it man. Everyone here knows all this. Why don't you? Just because you're dumb doesn't make everyone else dumb.

How come when I meet Europeans during my travels I have more in common with them than I do with Americans, in general? Have you noticed the average European is better at chess than the average American? And better at fooseball too (aka table soccer)? Europeans are a lot more down to earth too. They don't act fake. Same as me.

You're the one that's arrogant Yick and trying to be a know it all. I'm just showing you the big picture and all the data you didn't consider or factor in. That's not bragging or arrogance. I've already given you lots of examples above. Why are you blind to them? Are you being ignorant on purpose?

You denying something that's true doesn't make it untrue, you know that? You do not create reality or my reality especially.

Also keep in mind that when we say Europeans, we are talking about French, Italian, German, Spanish, Polish, and Eastern Europeans too, not just the British ok?

What about those intellectual British men you see in the movies, on BBC and in Sherlock Holmes stories like "Hound of the Baskerville" where British gentlemen in nice Victorian suits sit around the fireplace and have a cigar and say things that are very intellectual and logical and talk like intelligent gentlemen? I have a lot in common with those folks than I do with the average American that's only into beer, football and car engines of course.

As Nietsche says, being a higher man or intellectual means you never fit in with the herd, so I am not mainstream in any culture. But I definitely vibe more and connect more with Europeans (especially the traveler types) than with Americans. That's for sure. I am being honest about that. Why do you deny it? Do you think you know me better than I know myself? Do you deny all my experiences? If so, aren't you just an ignorant prick and not an intelligent down to earth gentlemen?

You don't sound like an intellectual gentlemen like those British men in Victorian England wearing nice suits and having deep discussions around the fireplace that you see in Sherlock Holmes stories. So far, you're the only European who denies that my soul is European. Why? Ask yourself that.

[Winston]

Why am I so sensitive to sound and feel so attacked and violated by it? I've been like this since I was 15.

A sudden sound to me is like a physical object striking me. Either way it's an intrusion that I sometimes lash back at with a temper tantrum, especially if I was in the middle of a thought or intention, in which case will be blocked and thwarted. Sounds are like a direct stop and interference with whatever thought or intention I had at the time.

How come other people aren't like that? It seems they tolerate interruptions like they are normal and in the flow of things. To me, interruptions are like a major diversion off course.

Do other people have some kind of mental filter in them that prevents sounds from affecting them? If so, how did my filter disappear?

Or am I just extremely sensitive to things like sound? I know one other guy who's like this, and he is also a deep insightful intellectual writer too. Are artistic and insightful people more likely to be like this?

Is there a name for this condition? Is it a kind of mental disorder?

PS - Murphy's law seems to work through it too, or perhaps the "law of attraction". When I'm with my parents, my mom belches like every other minute when I'm around, which drives me crazy and causes me to yell out in pain and anguish. My dad actually says that when I'm NOT around, she belches much less. Often at the start of the day, it doesn't even begin until I arrive! As soon as I am around, the belching starts again. It's like what I want to stop the most actually goes up in frequency when I'm around! Very weird. It might be something subconscious on her part, the law of attraction at work, or Murphy's Law.

It legitimately sounds like you have autism, which would also explain many of your other quirks.

You aren't a psychiatrist or mental health professional. So you don't know and aren't qualified to judge or diagnose. FYI, I've seen several therapists and psychologists before. They don't know what I have. What I have doesn't fit any of their manuals. The closest they could come up with was OCD, but that is problematic, because I don't fit all the criteria for OCD and I do not have specific rituals like hand washing. The mental health professionals I had sessions with NEVER said I had autism or aspergers, FYI.

Also, some people are just considered odd birds or very eccentric but have no mental illness. The Psychology 101 textbook points that out, that some people are just plain weird, but have no mental disorders.