I have a variation of hypersensitive hearing that reacts negatively to certain sounds- the most prominent of which has always been laughter. Loud, especially. It's been 17 years and counting, and I only just found out that my condition had a name. A lot of people with sensitive hearing hate noises like chewing or crunching, toe-tapping, beeping, gum-snapping, coughing...all kinds of sounds that most of us are faced with every day, and that do not register in the average person's mind. We have reactions that others would definitely deem irrational. We can be anywhere from mildly irritated to full panic attack mode. It's pretty safe to say that not many people are going to understand what we're going through.

A weird element of hyperacusis is that the sufferers don't register when they themselves make the noises that annoy them when made by someone else. Laughter makes me incredibly uncomfortable at times, but that doesn't mean that I never laugh. It's a healthy dose of built-in hypocrisy, which doesn't really make me feel like a good person. I have never voluntarily watched a show with a laugh track, or a talk show or comedy performance. It's not the material that bothers me. I watch comedy shows that don't have laugh tracks or live audiences. When I'm watching a funny movie with a friend, I don't mind them laughing. Maybe because I'm laughing too. But I get terrified if a friend or family member wants to watch one of those taboo shows when I'm around. I've quit trying to explain, and just end up begging them to watch something else.

I was floored when I finally saw "loud laughter" on the list of hyperacusis triggers. It's been hell for me to deal with this, and my parents (my dad in particular) were frustrated about it throughout my childhood. When I finally found a good article explaining it, I sent it to them and got surprisingly understanding responses. It was a huge relief. I'm just hoping I can find better ways to deal with it every day until I can live comfortably on my own.

Hate the sound of laughter? Whoa! Weird, like hating the sound of a soprano. Or a flute. Who hates laughter, or a flute?
You & me. And there's a name for it!

I was just glancing thru the New Posts & saw yours. Thank you! I'm amazed.

I have this huge problem with my boyfriend over this. I never laugh. never. even when i think somethings funny. But he laughs. Loudly. I get so irritated by this, because I cant begin to fathom what it is he sees that could warrant that level of laughter.

What sucks the most is the guilt though. I mean seriously, how do you tell a loved one "Dont laugh, it annoys me" without feeling like a monster? Vexing.