Coping with noise

[WeAreKaren]

Since everyone has addressed various methods of coping, I'm going to go for what might be the underlying cause. Because if you can learn about that, you can actually be less sensitive to what bothers you if you learn about what can help (known as a Sensory Diet). The People, you mentioned tactile as well as noise sensitivity. That is a hallmark sensitivity for someone who has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). My therapist says that many of her clients who have DID also have SPD. And I am one of them. I learned about it almost a year ago now and knowing about it changed my life almost as much as knowing I have DID. It explained so many things, such as why I unscrew all but one of the light bulbs in those awful banks of lights they put in bathrooms these days, and why having a hair between my breasts or on my back drives me crazy until I remove it, and why a repetitive noise drives me to distraction and makes it impossible for me to fall asleep.

SPD is a common yet little known "miswiring" of the brain. Rather than tell you more about it here, though, I am going to suggest that you look for the website spdlife.org, which is aimed at adults with SPD. (There are tons of sites aimed at kids, but this seems to be the only one for adults.) The page I found most helpful to start out with was the SPD Information page, which has three tabs: SPD Information, Symptoms, and Impact on the Senses. That is where I found out about the book I mentioned I'm reading in my Introduction update post. Just knowing the reason that I earned the nickname "Princess" (as in Princess and the Pea) from my ex-partner really, really helped me to feel better about myself. And then, of course, I learned ways to help me not be so reactive. You'll also note that there is a lot of overlap with PTSD. To me what that means is that SPD can multiply a PTSD reaction, or you can think you're having a PTSD reaction when actually it's the SPD.

Anyway, good luck, Jim. I encourage you (that means anyone on this thread who thinks this might apply to them) to take on this mission.