Embarrassing problem!! Hearing things? Really freaked out...

[Anzie2008]

Hi all x
First of all, I think it's important to say that I started uni in September and I'm finding it really really tough, so I'm probably under quite a lot of stress right now!!
Basically, I share a flat with 5 other people and unfortunately, the walls are really thin- you can literally hear something all the time- there never seems to be a minute of peace here at all!! :weep: I've always suffered with anxiety and the odd obsessive thought, but I had this pretty under control before I came to uni because I'd finally learnt to ignore it and just let it go. But since I've come to Uni, i'm finding it hard again.

This is a bit embarrassing but a few weeks ago I heard two of my flatmates 'sharing a bed' shall we say(!?) and like I said, the walls in the flats are really thin so it was pretty loud :scared15: It was pretty annoying at the time because I was feeling stressed and just wanted to go to sleep etc etc.
But basically, ever since then, I've become obsessed with noises and what I can hear :huh: Not only that, whenever it's really quiet, I feel like I can hear something in the distance all the time !! I can't even explain what the noise sounds like, it's like a screamig/high pitched type thing. But whatever it is; it's really freaking me out. It comes on anywhere- whether im in the flat or whether I'm out somewhere, and it's really got me worried that maybe it's the beginning of schitzophrenia or something :wacko:!! I'm so freaked out by this, it's really bothering me- has anyone else ever had a similar experience?

Does anyone think this is sinister or do you just think it's anxiety doing it's usual and playing with my mind??? To be fair, I do know from past experiences with anxiety that it's easy to 'imagine' symptoms if you like... but usually they were physical symptoms. I've never experienced anything like this and I'm really scared. It is probably important to mention that it rarely happens when I'm fully focussed in a conversation with someone or in a really busy area...

Any advice or similar stories would really help. Thanks :flowers:

[LucyR]

Hi, Yes I can identify with what you are saying, I think it is caused by over sensitivity to noise, ie there is so much noise around in everyday life nowadays that you still hear it when everything is quiet, unless you have other distractions or are with or speaking to others, as you have said is the case.

[looking4answers]

Could be A. tea pot
B. A pipe releasing pressure
C. A bed mattress spring
D. Insect
E . Bird
F . Bat
G . All of the above or something totally off the wall normal..

Sometimes I wish we lived in a place like that.. It would be nice to hear life in action..
We live 8 miles sw of town of 2000 on 118 acres of land. Nearest neighbor over one mile.. We live at 8500 ft. Thats one mile and one half above sea level. Its so quite that you can actually here someone come in on the gravel road 8 miles away at night and hear them drive all the way back behind your home three more miles.. There are only five people in 20 square miles so you can imagine how quiet it is here. Sometimes at night , I have heard . Bears, Elk,Wolfs, coyotes, all kinds of flying creatures, bats, owls , great horned owls. Rodents ,rabbits and etc..

Ever hear the expression the silence was deafening. I only realized what that meant when we moved here. It gets so quiet that the silence actually makes your ears roar and you can't hear anything but that roar.. Im sure you will be fine and there is a perfectly good explanation.. Michael