I am almost at 8 months since my concussion and I haven't had a major problem with anxiety/panic attacks since about the 5 month mark. I still get a bit of anxiety going into grocery stores but I'm able to take deep breaths and talk myself down from them.

Today I had my husband take me to the dollar store to pick up one item. (I can't drive yet and this was my only time out of the house all week) I went in and started looking for what I wanted and all of a sudden the music playing seemed really loud and full blown panic attack set in. I told my husband we had to leave NOW and I couldn't remember how to get out.

We got out right away but the rest of the day was shot with buzzy, confused brain, fatigue, shaking, and a stabbing pain where I hit my head that also has been gone for a few months. I'm so worried I've gone backwards a couple months with these old symptoms.

Ok I take that back, I'm not going to worry because that won't change it now but it will be a shame. I didn't even have a chance to try to stop the panic attack this time it was so quick. Its a reminder of why I rarely leave the house unless I have to.

Do you think its possible that always being in quiet can make you MORE sensitive to noises when they occur? Perhaps I'm being too cautious!? Also, I hate to say this but I think the vestibular therapy might be increasing some of the anxiety symptoms and chest pains.

I do think its been helping my dizziness though. 9 more days till I see the neurologist at the sports concussion rehab centre. Hopefully she will have some insight.

Wishing everyone a good day tomorrow.

CC

I have been through the same situation. Next time, wear some ear plugs. The sound appeared to get loud because your brain decided it could not filter it out anymore. It got overwhelmed and focused on the sound which is what made it sound louder.

I have learned that as soon as I notice that 'focus in' hearing effect, I know I need to find the exit.

Dollar stores can be very tough because they are extremely visually over-whelming. Add some sound and it is a perfect storm.

Rather than going backwards, I think you just had one of those perfect storms. As time goes on, hopefully, you will learn how to recognize these triggers. Use your observations to build your tool chest of getting out skills. Some days, you will be more tolerant of stimuli, other days, you will have no tolerance.

I can tell by how easy it is for me to 'stop to think' If I can get focused easily, I will usually do better out in stores and such. If I need to work harder to focus, I know to be careful going into stores. We call these good days, driving days and the bad days, no driving days. In time, you will be able to recognize these signs.

Thanks. I was wondering what happened to me yesterday. I went into Wendy's with my mom and dad and sat down to eat and the background music all of a sudden got so loud. Also, some teenagers came in and were laughing real loud. One girl had a laugh that I just could not take. I just crumpled on the bench and held my head in my hands and tried to wait until my parents were done eating. It was hell. My family does not understand at all. I am just barely understanding. It took me down for the rest of the day. It upset me a lot.

Thanks Mark,
I already knew that I wasn't having the best day for the same reason you mentioned. When I got up I had to constantly say to myself, ok what are you doing, as I was making coffee, getting breakfast, etc. When I need to extremely focus to do simple tasks I know it's not a good day.

I wear earplugs when I know I'm going somewhere really loud but I don't think of it when just running into a store. Even my husband said the music in this dollar store was loud. Wasn't expecting that. I'm going to permanently wear noise cancelling headphones around my neck, that's cool right?, and then I can just put them on when needed

So any opinions on my question about whether always being in quiet situations can make you worse when you do hear noises? Should I be starting to add back in sounds in the home? Right now, during the day I do not have any noise, no radio or tv on. The only time I turn on the tv is when I'm actually watching it. Maybe I should start getting used to background noises?

Hope you are all having a good day. Mine is so far no worse than yesterday so that is hopefully a good sign. It's going to be an easy recovery day.

CC

I have thought the same thing as you. I have tried to keep t.v on for background noise and listen to loud music etc. instead of always keeping myself in quiet solitude. What happens is my brain starts racing, I am thinking a million thoughts at once that don't make sense. I get a migraine headache, throw up or pass out. I start acting extremely weird if I am forced into like a wedding or Christmas shopping situation. I have panicked and bolted. It causes me to not be able to sleep because of the racing thoughts and sleep is the only thing keeping me out of a straight jacket. Let me know how it goes for the rest of you. Maybe some of you are healed enough that this could help. I would be cautious. Hope everyone is good today. Love to you all.

That's a really good point Brain Patch! It depends what stage of healing you're at and I guess how good of a day your having. I think it would almost be like exercising, you have to start out slowly, see if symptoms increase and then add in more as tolerated. I don't think I'm ready for that yet.....

Sorry you had a bad brain day CC.

I can relate. I too keep my house quiet but it's over at 3:45 every day when my son gets home from school and on weekends it's chaos. I don't think the noise helps me at all. I still get way overloaded in the noisy world out there. So personally I don't think by having a quiet house that you're doing yourself any harm, but that's only my opinion.

I had the loud noise incident yesterday while out... I was in earplugs but have to remove them to eat. (Celery with earplugs equals soooo loud in head) so when I removed them the restaurant noise hit me and my brain did the buzzed overload fried thing. I never got it back yesterday.

I'm still suffering today. Pain is bad. I think I'm still maxed from neuropsych day. (3 days later) just so fried.

Hope your today is better...

I have been in that same situation! I never thought of it as a panic attack but more of a 'my brain can't take this and I gotta get out NOW!'

i am happy to say that this gets better for me with time. I can endure much more noise now, and even some multiple types of noise. I have to be rested though.

I have talke to a lot of audiologists about the hyperacusis (damaged noise filter) and they say that gentle and very gradual exposure to noise (sound ) is the only way to address this. I have made an effort to put some happy sounds into my world, and have tried to change my emotional reaction to them. We need to live in a noisy world eventually, so doing it in a controlled manner is a good strategy. It seems to be working for me!

Hang in there. It does get better. Slowly. I need to hear from the longer term people the same thing, as I still get discouraged. But it does! VERY slowly. Baby steps. Steps backwards. But eventually forwards!