Doors slamming - massive anxiety trigger?

[elibabez]

I guess a lot of people are going to find they can relate to this.

When my housemates come in at 11pm and slam the main door shut ( not purposely)

That sense of the house having been quiet for hours and suddenly a loud sound downstairs and the housemates feet clomping up the stairs.. it sends a rush of anxiety through my veins.

Can anyone relate to that?

It may be triggered that by the fact that when i was 16 and at a friends house (and i was the only one in at the time as they were out), there was a burgulary, and ever since them, a door slamming and feet clomping up the stairs give me a flashback of it :weep:

[Oosh]

Yeh I have it too. I grew up in a house where my dad would slam doors in anger and I've hated it ever since. What can ya do, these associations are not an easy thing to forget.

Maybe all you can do is try and make new associations. The imagination is a powerful thing, so is your sense of humour. Picture it meaning something that makes you giggle instead. Picture your housemates barging in through the font door and bundling themselves up the stairs like a herd of emu's with tiny brains all bumping into each other looking clueless. Whatever makes you giggle. Better you remember that and chuckle than remember anger or danger.

[GingerFish]

I get this too. I stay in a block of flats and the main door downstairs has no buzzer on it, so anyone can just walk into the block and trouble makers usually come into the close at around 12am/1am and start crap and it always starts with them slamming the front door and whenever I hear that slam, I always panic thinking trouble has come. No one has ever came to my door but it still terrifies me because every sound and whisper echos in the close and they shout and brawl so they are already loud to begin with.

[Scaredlady]

My anxiety (At least I hope that is what it is and my doctor says it is just anxiety but...) stems from noise.

I had been reading one evening in total silence, no tv, no distractions, pure quietness and at around 1am I decided to sleep but as I was drifting off I was woken by a noise. I thought nothing of it and went back to sleep.

The next morning though, well that is when it all began. I couldn't tolerate any sort of noise, the shower running, the kettle boiling, etc- every noise irritated me and made me highly anxious.

I was convinced (and still am) that it was voices that I could hear and I was/am terrified.

Even sitting in silence has become too much to bear for me because I then start to overly focus on the silence and convince myself I can hear voices.

It is a really really horrible way to feel. The washing machine, the phone ringing, my own breathing, my dog's breathing- no matter what the noise is I seem to zoom in on it and dread that it was more than what it was. I try to rationalise and use the techniques to calm myself down but my fear seems to grip my rational thoughts and I end up completely convinced that I am going to be sectioned and end up on medication the rest of my life. I am now anxious of being anxious, on top of being overcome with fear that I am losing my mind.

I found this site at 2am this morning as I was having a very intense anxiety attack and I couldn't shake it, so I was looking for some reassurance.

I hope you will be OK, all of the best.

[elibabez]

My anxiety (At least I hope that is what it is and my doctor says it is just anxiety but...) stems from noise.

I had been reading one evening in total silence, no tv, no distractions, pure quietness and at around 1am I decided to sleep but as I was drifting off I was woken by a noise. I thought nothing of it and went back to sleep.

The next morning though, well that is when it all began. I couldn't tolerate any sort of noise, the shower running, the kettle boiling, etc- every noise irritated me and made me highly anxious.

I was convinced (and still am) that it was voices that I could hear and I was/am terrified.

Even sitting in silence has become too much to bear for me because I then start to overly focus on the silence and convince myself I can hear voices.

It is a really really horrible way to feel. The washing machine, the phone ringing, my own breathing, my dog's breathing- no matter what the noise is I seem to zoom in on it and dread that it was more than what it was. I try to rationalise and use the techniques to calm myself down but my fear seems to grip my rational thoughts and I end up completely convinced that I am going to be sectioned and end up on medication the rest of my life. I am now anxious of being anxious, on top of being overcome with fear that I am losing my mind.

I found this site at 2am this morning as I was having a very intense anxiety attack and I couldn't shake it, so I was looking for some reassurance.

I hope you will be OK, all of the best.


I am truly sorry to hear about your anxiety situation.
It just goes to show, i was of the opinion that my anxiety was really bad, but it seems mine is nothing compared to your anxiety.

At least for me, every day things such as breathing/ animal noises/ kettles arent a problem, it is just loud noises that are the problem.

So my deepest sympathies as i probably couldnt live with that level of anxiety.

My biggest dread ever is loosing the financial ability to rent private accomodation, and be put in some rough council estate flat block, i would rather die than that -- because i know the kind of things that go on there, and i would be in 24/7 anxiety.

[HaroldMorse]

I really feel bad for you, noise anxiety is worst feeling..
I have problem with the sound of pulling, loud music.

[elibabez]

I really feel bad for you, noise anxiety is worst feeling..
I have problem with the sound of pulling, loud music.


Oh god, when you hear a car go past with boom boom boom.

Thank god the last several years I haven't had problems with neighbours playing loud music, but anti social behaviour/ loud music blaring would be my worst nightmare.

Id rather live in a forest than that!

[jayb1]

Get on eBay noise muffling earplugs have been a godsend to me . 99p . I have agoraphobia and when I do manage to get out it muffles the sound of the traffic and the noise in shops which before almost had me jumping out of my skin