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Do you startle easily?

DogwoodTree

DogwoodTree

Still here...
I've been so on edge lately, everything makes me startle. It's not scary stuff, like shadows or strange noises or anything, just things that happen unexpectedly...the phone rings, one of the kids drops something, someone walks into the room if I didn't hear them coming.

Don't know if this is an aspie thing or a C-PTSD thing? Either way, it seems to be getting worse. This is annoying and embarrassing!
 
I'm like that right now. I get like this when I'm overly stressed and/or when I haven't had sufficient time to regenerate after too much human contact. I'm suffering from both conditions at the moment, so every unexpected jarring noise makes me jump out of my skin.
 
It really depends on the environment. If I'm at home and my husband or kid sneaks up on me or something unexpectedly slams or makes a loud noise, yeah, I'll jump, squeak, and turn about. But if I'm outside, in town, in traffic, or whatever, I may turn my head quickly and look at it, but it doesn't make me start. You'd think it'd be backwards since I'm more familiar with the noises and patterns of home than everywhere else!
 
I always have startled very easily, it's as if my reflexes are hyperactive, or my nerves are "on edge".
One time when my daughter was like 7, she jumped out from behind a door and scared me, I had a glass of water which I spilled all over as I screamed in terror, then got mad, threw the glass across the room and told her" don't EVER scare me like that again.
Crazy, but I hate that feeling.
I later had to apologize for my overreaction, but again reinforced" never scare mommy". Lol
 
Yes, all the time. I wish I was more relaxed, but most of the time I'm on edge. My 'fight or flight' response is wound pretty tight.

People have learned it's not a good idea to sneak up on me either.

:fearscream:
 
Interesting. I used to get very anxious with those really loud vacuum type toilet flushes and have to leave the stall very quick! I love peace and quiet.
Cali Cat said:
I'm like that right now. I get like this when I'm overly stressed and/or when I haven't had sufficient time to regenerate after too much human contact. I'm suffering from both conditions at the moment, so every unexpected jarring noise makes me jump out of my skin.
Click to expand...
Makes sense. After "too much human contact" I must regenerate also. Quiet time with candles alone is so important. Good topic.
 
It's very odd with me. Sometimes I can be easily startled, and other times when something should profoundly startle me, it doesn't always happen. :confused:
 
I've always startled easy. I a lot of its just the fact that i'm hypersensitive to sound. People will think they scared me with whatever the sound they caused was and i always have to tell them no you didn't scare me it was just loud so i startled. The other part is that i just plain startle easy i guess.
 
Yes, if someone drops something behind me making a loud noise, my startle response can be inappropriate.
 
I can really freak if someone creeps up on me, I nearly beat a male friend into the ground when he pulled a halloween prank on me some years back. He has never spoken to me since.
 
I startle very easily. There were a lot of kids who thought it was hilarious to come up behind me and poke me, just to see me jump, when I was younger. Now, people wouldn't dare because they might get hit.

I've argued with quite a few nurses about it. Most nurses don't like it when patients watch shots and blood draws. If I don't watch them, I jump badly enough that I end up with serious bruising. They're always concerned that I'll pass out if I watch. The ones who know me (yay for small towns) don't question anymore.

My doctor asked me, after my son was born and I jumped majorly getting an epidural, whether I was being abused because that kind of startle reflex was extreme. Nope. I just jump. If I can't see it and something touches me, it doesn't matter how much you verbally warn me, I'll jump.
 
Cali Cat said:
I'm like that right now. I get like this when I'm overly stressed and/or when I haven't had sufficient time to regenerate after too much human contact. I'm suffering from both conditions at the moment, so every unexpected jarring noise makes me jump out of my skin.
Click to expand...

too much human contact is overwhelming for me too. i feel like i'm drowning.
 
Yes, I definitely startle easily. This was one of the challenges of staying at a homeless shelter recently. A lot of the women would simply let their doors slam behind them as they went in or out of their rooms. It wasn't just being startled by the sound. Each time was like getting hit in the abdomen.
 
Harrison54 said:
I can really freak if someone creeps up on me, I nearly beat a male friend into the ground when he pulled a halloween prank on me some years back. He has never spoken to me since.
Click to expand...
For a short time, I worked with a guy who thought it was hilarious to startle people by creeping up on them. How immature can a person be? Thank goodness, he got fired.
 
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