Exaggerated Startle Response

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I feel like I jump and startle at everything; anything loud, anything sudden or unexpected, even fast-moving things in my peripheral vision. I think it's related to sensory hypersensitivity, does anybody else do this?

I do. I thought it might be related to Complex PTSD.

I do this a lot. My dog shook his head last night and it put a good scare in me.

Yes, very much so, however in my case it's better accounted for by PTSD.

I used to but I got better for some reason I don't know. Maybe working around machines making noise helped me get over it.

Sometimes depending on what it is and my mood.
Some of it is PTSD. I don't like Fourth of July fireworks.
Sometimes it's just because I'm wound up and jumpy, - adrenaline or something.
Temple Grandin describes this in terms of animal instincts.

I have PTSD so my jumpiness may be related to that. Hard to say but it is annoying, though.

I am easily startled depending on my anxiety levels, sudden/loud/unexpected etc. cause me to jump, being anxious intensifies the the reaction, from a regular little startle jump, to jumping off the ground and squealing; I startled the last person to touch me unexpectedly as much as they startled me, .

Yep, I "freeze" if something unexpected happens suddenly. I found that taking a medium dose of gabapentin helps.

This subject reminds me of an old SNL skit called "The Frightened Family".

My startle reflex used to be worse due to PTSD.

However, that has subsided and I am back to a "normal for me" level of exaggerated reflex. I get so absorbed in what I am doing that I do not hear people approach. Then, when they get my attention, I jump. I don't respond to every kind of stimuli - it really only happens when I am working on a project, reading, or practicing or something else that sends me off to my own world.

To a degree. It's more like, "what was that?" than a true sense of being frightened.

I was just recently talking to my therapist about this very topic.

I don’t know if it’s anxiety or what, but I often have had exaggerated startle responses in the following situations:

a) I am at work, focusing on something requiring lots of precision, and someone comes by and asks me a question
b) I am driving on the freeway and a loud motorcycle passes by my car
c) I am sitting in the therapists’ waiting room, playing on my phone, and suddenly the therapist’s door opens

When I have an exaggerated startle response, usually the following occurs:
- My body jerks/jumps
- My heart starts racing rapidly
- I make a sound indicating I was startled (“aaaah”)

Originally, I attributed this startle response to anything unexpected. But, when I am in the therapist’s office, I am waiting for the door to open. So, I now have no idea why this occurs.