Almost all my life I’ve absolutely despised children. Pretty much from the moment I stopped being a child I’ve hated being around children.
It doesn’t even matter what the child is doing. Whether they’re laughing and having fun or screaming and throwing a tantrum. The sound of a child being loud activates an almost primal rage that I can barely contain.
I’ve had to leave social gatherings/restaurants/grocery stores all because if I’d stayed I’d have made a complete ass of myself by screaming at a child just for existing.
It’s even worse with infants which makes me feel horrible because I know they can’t help it. I know the kids don’t know any better and it’s our job as adults to get them through childhood, but my blood boils when they get loud or demand attention.
Has anyone else dealt with something like this? Is there anything I can do to stop from getting so angry?
Oh just what I need more evidence.
Never hurts to check.
Unless you’re American and don’t have health insurance. Then it might hurt.
I have it. The sounds of people eating, especially slurping or crunching, are literally repulsive. I have to have something else to train my focus on or else I’ll get up and bolt.
Other repetitive sounds trigger it too: people popping gum, chewing ice, clipping fingernails, etc. But not too bad with keyboards and typing.
I’m not sure if I have it or I’m just an irritable asshole, but I certainly gave pause when I first read about it because plenty of sounds people make absolutely do feel like a nail being driven into my brain, inducing a feeling of unrepentant anger that is tough to let go of. Though, they’re usually sounds most people also find irritating. Like lip smacking and nostril wheezing. At what point is it not simply a common irritation and it becomes a disorder? 🤔
When it affects your relationships and your life. My wife has a complex now about crunching in front of me and chooses food accordingly, which makes me feel terrible.
Or when I can’t focus on what my boss is saying because she’s eating almonds while she talks.
I just try to find coping behaviors and sometimes literally bite my lip to get thru some situations.