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Stupidcat
Snowy Owl
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Joined: 5 Mar 2007
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 127
Location: Texas

29 Jul 2014, 9:29 pm

After some set backs at University, I moved back home with my parents. I definitely feel less stressed here but for past two months I've noticed that I'm very easily startled. If someone knocks on the bedroom door I jump. If someone flushes the toilet I startle. If the shower turns on I'm shocked and when it turns off I'm equally shocked! Its annoying and very tiring. This has never happened to me before in a safe, well known environment. I have Asperger's, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. My medication seems to be working and I don't have a panic attack during these episodes. They're short lived and I settle back to normal very quickly. I haven't changed my medication schedule and have set up a new routine in my new environment. I don't feel like my anxiety is out of control at all.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm going to my GP in mid-August so I'll ask her advice and have her run the usual blood tests. Its just very weird.



nerdygirl
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Joined: 16 Jun 2014
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29 Jul 2014, 9:47 pm

I have experienced this. I remember one time in particular very soon after I was married, my husband came home while I was vacuuming and I didn't hear the door. He came to the room I was in and when I saw him, I literally jumped two feet in the air I was so startled.

I had problems with being startled for many years. It may have been in part due to post-traumatic stress disorder. The problem has mostly subsided now.

But, I know that it can happen when I am "in-between" stress and settling down. It can also happen when I am deeply focused on something and I am unexpectedly interrupted. The reaction is worse when I am already stressed.

My unprofessional guess is that you were extremely stressed out at University and your body was living in "fight or flight" mode, so your senses were overly heightened. Now that you are back home, you are in a more relaxed environment, but your body is still in a state of having heightened senses. This would make random noises stick out more to you, and the "fight or flight" reaction would make you startle.

I doubt there is anything physically wrong with you. I believe that your body will settle down again in a few months and you will no longer be so easily startled.

To speed things up the relaxation process (ironic, huh?), you could do some things to help your body relax. Take baths, drink chamomile tea, listen to soothing music, practice deep breathing.