Photo and Audio- sensitivity, is this anxiety?

[arg13]

Hi,
I have recently developed a real sensitivity to bright/flashing lights and loud noises and I am assuming its to do with my anxiety and panic, does anyone else have this problem?

Mainly I find flashing lights, even fairy lights at xmas, made me tense and anxious so I had to try to shield myself from it, and also driving at night I'm increasingly easy to be dazzled by head lights.

The loud noises are more problematic, I found myself rushing to the bathroom and bursting into tears at my best friends birthday party this weekend as there was loud music and 15 people shouting and laughing as you do at a party. But it all got too much and I had to get out of the noise as it made me freak out.
This has happened before in a lesser way when I have been with new people so I was on edge anyway, but this was a room of my closest friends, it really scared me and I don't want it to happen again but not sure what the cause of it is.

Anyone had the same or heard of reasons for it?? Thanks.

[Everlong33]

Hi,

What you describe is perfectly normal for someone who has anxiety issues. I myself suffer from sensitivity to bright lights and know exactly what you mean about the christmas lights. I also jump at noises quite often! Sometimes when I'm at a party or somewhere very noisy, my ears really ring, so much so that it becomes unbearable.

I actually thought I had problems with my eyesight as I wear glasses but all my checks were clear so I've put it down to the anxiety as I found so many interesting websites when I googled it which explain why and how anxiety affects the eyes.

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

[arg13]

thank you, have looked up a bit about noise sensitivity too and the word anxiety pops up all over the place, least I know its probably nothing other than anxiety!
Thanks

[Col]

Oh my gosh, I get this even outside. Shade and light ..... If I'm on edge anyway it really takes some effort to keep calm! Is it really normal or for those anxiety sufferers that are off the scale??. It's bloody awful, flashing lights, sun through the window and look away still see the shadow in vision, stripy tops black & white ???? Migraine attack worry sets in if I'm having one of those days! Gosh I'm crazy!

[Brunette]

You can be hypersensitive to just about anything when you are suffering from severe anxiety. For a while I found that I couldn't watch TV programmes that were too noisy or violent or even read books with scenes of violence in them.

[Daisy Sue]

i also identify with this... particularly the noise sensitivity thing, and so does my mum - whenever she finds that the noise of the kettle boiling up makes her feel uncomfortable, she knows she's starting anxiety again.

for me, it's not that kind of noise that upsets me, it's anything loud or unexpected.. like for most people a door slamming would just make them jump, but i can also feel like crying as well getting the normal shock effect... feel a real wuss sometimes. lol.