Does anyone else besides me have these? The week before last I was having crazy food texture issues. I've always had sound issues. The slightest loud noise makes me jump, but so does gum popping, gum smacking,loud chewing and so many others. It's driving me a bit nuts
Also,how does one politely tell someone to PLEASE for the LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY STOP CHEWING THAT GUM SO LOUDLY BEFORE I SEND RAVENS AFTER YOU!? Shouldn't this be basic manners? Like not yelling out of your car? Which folks do anyway and scare the beejeesus out of me. Gum chewing should not be allowed on offices, especially POPPING.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
This may sound LESS THAN SENSITIVE (pattern, rite) but anxious response to stimulus basically plagued my cousin-in-law until she got cognitive behavioral therapy in order to learn how to derail that anxious response. so, therapy.
pre-emptive guess at response: if too poor for therapy: self-help books related to issue?
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
"Excuse me. I find your gum popping very distracting. Could you please stop? Thanks."
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
Headphones?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
That's what I do. Ear canal phones were made my ANGELS. They are heavenly. You plug them in and it's like you're floating in a bubble of music. Great for train rides.
I just wish there was something I could do about the SMELL of gum. I hate that smell.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
quote:I just wish there was something I could do about the SMELL of gum. I hate that smell.
If it really does bother you that much, Samp's advice seems like it is on target. You probably need to try to manage/modify your responses to these stimuli, since you don't have much chance of changing the popularity or odor of gum.
Posted by theresa51282 (Member # 8037) on :
It sounds like a bit of an overreaction on your part. I don't really care for some smells and noises but if it is truly driving you nuts, there are lots of things you can do to help train yourself to react differently. A lot of times it actually has to do with exposing yourself to these stimuli and remaining exposed while you work on relaxation techniques. After repeated exposures that end in relaxation rather than stress the initial response can be changed.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
EEEEEEK. But the problem with that is I'll have to LISTEN TO PEOPLE POP GUM!
Which will drive me crazy! Hence, why I love my earcanal headphones so I can listen to iamamiwhoami instead of pop snap crackle POP SNAP.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
quote:Originally posted by Synesthesia: EEEEEEK. But the problem with that is I'll have to LISTEN TO PEOPLE POP GUM!
Which will drive me crazy!
yeah no you are very oversensitive to a whole host of innocuous exterior stimuli.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
To be fair, she does have a medical condition that causes precisely that.
Posted by Godric (Member # 4587) on :
And this symptom isn't addressed in the treatment of that condition?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
The synesthesia? I don't think that's a medical condition, but I have to admit it makes good music heavenly and annoying sounds hell.
I suspect I may be on the autism spectrum as well. But there's a whole host of people who also get driven out of their mind by gum popping and loud chewing. I hate when my ears seek such stuff OUT.
Posted by Godric (Member # 4587) on :
Oh! Whaddya know? I thought that was just a cool username. Posted by DDDaysh (Member # 9499) on :
Gum popping doesn't bother me, but any amount of plastic squeaking will drive me up the wall. I used to have to take the lids off of Icee cups when I got them for my little brothers because if one squeaked at the wrong time, I could totally end up having a wreck!
I'm curious - how is your hearing when there is lots of background noise? I myself find that I have exceptional hearing when it comes to picking up sounds, but I often can't hear the TV or a conversation with the person next to me because I have a hard time filtering out all the ambient background noise.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I find self-hypnosis techniques to help me tune things out helpful. Though I obviously don't always function at 100% while using them.
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