Anxiety & Irritability

Hey everyone, hope you're having a good Thursday evening. Hopefully the weekend will be here soon.

I've been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and severe social phobia/agoraphobia in the past, and I get anxiety and panic attacks sometimes when in social situations or out in public. In general, however, the anxiety I used to feel in regards to all that has lessened to some extent...now I mostly have my anxiety attacks at home, and they don't always have a conscious trigger.

One thing that really gets me is noise. I don't know if I am just weird or what, but noise and talking/yelling loudly immediately makes me anxious and sometimes extremely irritable. My first instinct in those situations is to avoid/flee them, but I live in a house where people routinely talk loudly and sometimes yell about things. They don't really yell at me, but it doesn't matter, it still upsets me and gets me worked up. Even something like the phone ringing triggers really deep and severe irritation in me, so bad that I feel actual anger and want to like throw the phone. It's just that we get so many calls and my dad hardly ever answers them, and it rings off the hook all day. I just can't handle it and sometimes I get really upset about it and have to go upstairs away from the phone so I can't hear it. I've never really had this problem in the past, especially not something so silly like a phone ringing. Its just like I can't handle loud noises or something, they automatically trigger this feeling in me. I don't have a phobia of them, I don't fear them and anticipate them--I just react badly when I hear them.

I hate conflict and stuff too, and whenever there are problems at home with my boyfriend or whatever, I immediately get upset inside. He doesn't understand and acts like that if I 'know' that he isn't upset at me, then I shouldn't get upset that he's yelling. I try telling him that it doesn't work like that--that I just react to it no matter how I actually feel, but I don't think he understands...he has mental problems too but not really anxiety. I don't know, I just feel like he doesn't care enough to try and just let me be when I need time alone or to relax from the noise of him yelling or the TV or whatever. Sometimes I just need to remove myself from the situation and calm down, but I feel like that isn't something that he understands.

Meh, anyhow...thanks for letting me rant. I do take Xanax for my anxiety as needed, and it does help, but I wish that I would stop having these anxiety attacks and stuff when I'm not actually feeling threatened consciously. It's starting to get really annoying and affecting stuff. I've talked to my therapist and doctor about it, but I'll have to bring it up again on my next appointment.

Thanks. :P

Good Morning MK,

Noise anxiety - yes I have had this when I am feeling really anxious.  For me it is usually when I am trying to rest and a sudden loud noise startles me - the phone ringing, the dog barking etc.  I also do not enjoy loud, boisterous places where everybody is screaming and I cannot hear myself talk or even think !

You are not weird at all and I am sure that their are many of us right here in the forum that have the same response to noise tirggers. I have read of people who have had luck with overcoming noise anxiety by learning hypnosis.  If you can find a someone who is skilled in clinical hypnosis it may be worth looking into.

Meanwhile remember you are not alone.  I hope you keep on talking with us as we know where your coming from and what your going through.

Kindly,

Kitt

 

Hi MK! I find myself feeling the same way...when I'm not feeling my best mentally, an sort of chaos makes me extremely irritable, and for me, noise is chaos.

I don't have any advice for you (yet...my struggles with anxiety is what brought me to this site!), other than know you're not alone! Scaredy's advice to breathe, count, and keep reminding yourself you'll get through it sounds excellent. I'm going to try those suggestions, too!

Hang in there!!

Hi s_i_b and welcome,

Thanks for sharing your useful tip, I am sure that it will be helpful to others who read this post in the future.

Please feel free to post with us anytime. You will find great information, resources, understanding and support here!

Scaredy Cat