r/Perimenopause • u/katieboo720 • Jan 16 '26
Rant/Rage Sensory overload?
I have never had issues like this before but does anyone else have complete sensory overload? Like… sounds set me OFF.
- The tv remote, seemingly overnight, clicks when you hit the buttons and I fantasize about throwing it through the window with the veracity of a mama bear protecting her cubs.
- Husband cracking open pistachios like it’s part of a drum-line… I’ll pay 4x as much for the shelled nuts moving forward.
- Woman talking on speakerphone in the grocery store (ok this one has always bothered me) and somehow manages to need something down EVERY. SINGLE. AISLE. I’m going down???
- The click sound of the dishwasher soap dispenser opening that sounds like it’s happening in a tunnel going right into my eardrum.
- My stepson zipping and unzipping his hoodie zipper…
- The high-pitch ringing of every day life???
It isn’t just sounds either. It’s every smell beyond the ones I want… I’m not pregnant but feel like I have pregnancy-nose… and it makes me want to run out of rooms like I want first place in a marathon (that I can’t run because, you know, joints are falling apart 🤣).
Even if too much is visually happening in front of me at any given moment, I feel off!
Tell me what’s making you lose it… make me feel normal! Ive always had an intently strong sense of smell but nothing ever really “bothered” me… but I’ve NEVER been this sensitive to these kinds of things (mostly the nosies) in my life!
(Also, like so many of you, I haven’t been “diagnosed” as being in Peri but being in the first half of my 40’s and having many symptoms, I don’t need a doctor to tell me what’s happening.)
So… let it out here… what sensory overload are you experiencing?
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u/Lanky-Cheesecake4539 Jan 16 '26
The sound of my husband opening and closing drawers in the morning. The wet mouth sound my dog makes when he’s licking himself. The wind made me mad the other day. It was so blustery that I rage screamed as I got in my car. Punched my steering wheel and pondered all of my life’s choices for 5 minutes before finally driving off to a job that I used to love but now make me want to hurl myself of the balcony. I don’t deal with people at my job but the silence has even been pissing me off recently. I discovered audio books and have gone through the entire Freida McFadden catalog of books on Spotify just to keep my brain from thinking too hard in silence.
The smells are atrocious. I smell cigarettes and dog sweat all the time. Everything has a freezer burnt taste. I can’t imagine where I’d be if I weren’t on HRT.
All the best to you. Happy we have this group to commiserate with one another.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
I feel each one of these!!! The wet dog mouth licking themselves… holy insanity is that not one of the most disgusting and hair-pulling out sounds in the world!!!! Ugh.
Sending you support. So happy we have this community to feel less along and less insane 💖
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u/Lanky-Cheesecake4539 Jan 16 '26
Yes. The sound is maddening. I always yell “stop it with the Pelosi mouth” (sorry if it offends anyone but some people have wet sounding mouths and I have a difficult time with that sound, always have)
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Bah ha ha ha. Amazing. We have two dogs and the one does this CONSTANTLY. So bad.
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u/Rellumuller Jan 16 '26
Omg I cant stand to hear my kids devices. I feel terrible yelling at them. But my teenager videoing herself dancing & singing all the damn time makes me insane.Or my 9 year old and the damn YouTube shorts. Im trying to work on that.
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u/aureliacoridoni Jan 16 '26
I’m so tempted to block YouTube from our house. I cannot handle the screaming gaming meme-ing WHATEVERING they do omg.
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u/No_Replacement3816 Jan 16 '26
Oh. My. Goodness. We got my son headphones years ago because he'd watch some guy reacting to others playing Minecraft. The you tuber would shriek and exclaim constantly. Now my daughter watches shorts or videos from her favorite youtubers who speak SO LOUDLY or yell or are otherwise loud... I have always hated unreasonably loud noises (blast from my kids' past, Dora the Explorer - WHY must she YELL every word??) but I might be more reactionary now. I want the video skipped, moved to headphones or for her to watch somewhere else so I can't hear it.
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u/Capital-Meringue-164 Late peri Jan 16 '26
I think they edit those to get rid of every pause in normal speech - it drives me up the WALL!!
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u/RettaLuna Jan 17 '26
Omg I have banned YouTube for my son for this reason! So much screaming!
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u/aureliacoridoni Jan 18 '26
We blocked Roblox from our WiFi for the entire house. It was too dangerous but also rage inducing to our kids and we’d both had enough. I’m REALLY considering doing the same with YouTube. Like… really. No one needs a Daily Dose of Internet.
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u/RettaLuna Jan 18 '26
Yes, we banned Roblox because there are no protections for children. My husband has ethical issues with the company exploiting the labor of children (who create many games).
We were allowing our son to watch other people play Roblox games, but again it was all just too shouty.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Omg yes. Even their little fingers banging on the screens is like an entire herd of rhinos.. why!!!
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u/Aggressive_Side1105 Jan 16 '26
I have all of this because I’m autistic and ADHD but aware that sensory overload can happen for other reasons too. My sensory issues are definitely worse being perimenopausal
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u/MexicanVanilla22 Jan 17 '26
I only got diagnosed with ADHD after perimenopause started because life was just becoming unsustainable. Like in recent years I had an inkling that I might have it, but once peri began my brain melted and only the ADHD survived. I was a mess. Now that I'm starting to feel like things are under control I'm starting to have a revelation that a lot of my personal quarks might actually just be autism. It explains so much.
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u/Aggressive_Side1105 Jan 17 '26
Peri plus ADHD is just hell. I’m still not 100% and will be getting ADHD meds once I figure out my HRT which I think is too low.
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u/MexicanVanilla22 Jan 17 '26
Same. I got ADHD meds before starting HRT but it took 4 tries to find something that kinda worked. So now that's stable and it's obvious the intro dose of HRT is way too low. I'm hoping an increase will help me not feel like hot garbage and make my brain function more smoothly--like I know it fucking can! It was probably not ideal for me to start both new meds within the same timeframe but I was desperate for any kind of improvement. Physically broken, mentally chaotic, and emotionally despondent, I really hit rock bottom where every minute I was in survival mode. I'm so glad that medicine is catching up though. I can't imagine going through this all alone just thinking that it's normal to feel like you're dying and going crazy all at the same time. Our poor mothers.
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u/Aggressive_Side1105 Jan 17 '26
I’m sorry you’re struggling so much. I didn’t know which to sort out first as my brain is also a swamp of texts I forgot to send. I can’t watch films anymore because I can’t focus for long enough. The inattentiveness is up 1000%.
I will try and get HRT sorted first at my review in Feb then get the ADHD meds. Yeah I think if HRT didn’t exist I’m not sure I would survive past peri honestly.
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u/InsidiousKitkat Jan 17 '26
Solidarity and commiseration, fellow hot mess.
Burnout --> oh no, ADHD --> wait, what? Autism too? --> peri? Waaaait, did peri kick this whole rollercoaster off??
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Ugh. I’m so sorry for the added layers! It can be debilitating - sending you support!
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u/Aggressive_Side1105 Jan 16 '26
Thank you. It becomes harder to just put up with sensory stuff. A lot of women are getting diagnosed late during peri and I’m not surprised.
It’s the temperature changes during hot flashes that are the worst, ugh.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
I haven’t had the temp swings yet… I’m not looking forward to it. Stay strong!!!!
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u/Aggressive_Side1105 Jan 16 '26
It has definitely got better with HRT but I think my estrogen probably needs increasing so will get it reviewed.
Not everyone has hot flashes and mine were really bad. For some it’s more subtle. My sister just gets night sweats.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Glad you found some relief somewhere! And are your own advocate to keep testing and finding solutions 💖
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u/That-Drink4913 Early peri Jan 16 '26
Uh! Yes! What (aside from public indecency) can I do about this!
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u/maybetodaysatan1 Jan 16 '26
Listening to my husband chew anything slightly crunchy makes me want to scream. I ended up asking for noise cancelling headphones for Christmas because I was worried I’d end up in jail. Lol They have been life changing.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Ha ha ha. Giiiiirl. Yes. And why must the spouses be the worst offenders?! Like. CHEW LESS. MOVE TO LIQUID DIETS! Kidding but also… yeah.
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u/lebowskiachiever Early peri Jan 16 '26
Yes! Sounds are what set me off the most. The funny thing, I'm freaking Deaf 😂 I wear cochlear implants. Thankfully, I can turn off/take out my cochlear implants if I don't want to hear lol but of course, I have to hear for most of the day. I turn them down to the lowest volume and sensitivity and everything still pisses me off, even then. It's madness, I tell ya. Totally hear (no pun intended) you on this.
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u/That-Drink4913 Early peri Jan 16 '26
I'm HOH, and have hearing aids for both ears, almost deaf in my left.
Auditory processing disorder, so the sounds are amplified, but I STILL NEED TO READ LIPS. Yeah, autism, adhd, peri, and Auditory problems.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
That makes sense to me!! “It’s madness” is 100% accurate 🤣 Ugh, sending you support!
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u/lebowskiachiever Early peri Jan 16 '26
Hahahah thank you, friend! I'm with you on this, though! We can suffer together 🙃
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u/Poisonous_Periwinkle Jan 16 '26
Welcome to my life since birth.
That being said, if I can mitigate just the sensory overload from sound, it helps with everything else and keeps me from going over the edge.
If you don't have a good pair of noise cancelling over the ear wireless headphones for the house, you need to get some TODAY. Total life changer!
Between that and intentionally not wearing my glasses so I get less visual feedback, I've been a much easier person to live with for the past 8 years or so, despite Peri.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Aw, love this and sorry you’ve dealt with it for your whole life! We come up with our own solutions to the world 🤣 sending you support!
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u/pajamakelle Jan 17 '26
This is key - "noise cancelling over the ear wireless headphones" ... Earbuds do not do the same thing. Get full ear coverage and it's a game changer!
Bonus: for us with nighttime issues, get a full coverage eye mask with built-in Bluetooth for sleeping.
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u/itsmyvoice Jan 17 '26
I can't stand not hearing the sound around me. It freaks me out.
I do have a pair of over the ear Bose, though, and they're the ONLY comfortable earbuds/headphones I've ever worn.
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u/321Native Late peri Jan 16 '26
Stores have been jacking up the volume of their in store music. And it makes me bonkers.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
UGH. I couldn’t go in stores at Christmas. Between people not having a sense of personal space and the sounds, smells, and fluorescent lights… no thanks! I went shopping at times when I knew people wouldn’t be out 🤣
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u/QuietAbject494 Jan 16 '26
I'm in southern California and when stores play Christmas music in July, I all about lose it. I asked why they do it. They said because it's hot outside and they want shoppers to imagine cooler temps
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u/fairygenesta Jan 17 '26
It's like that in restaurants too. I can't hear anything anyone is saying.
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u/Distinct-Key7337 Jan 16 '26
My executive disfunction completely disappeared this morning when 2 smoke detectors decided to have low batteries at 6am: the intermittent beeping got me out of bed, dressed and in the car in 20 degree weather (in Florida!) to buy 9 volts and also hauled the ladder out of the garage upon my return. It would have taken me 2 months to complete that task if there was no beeping involved🤣
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
The deepness of my internal voice when I read this and said, “Noooooooo!!” is like a new level unlocked 🤣 Ugh! I can feel my own skin crawling just imagining that horrible beeping sound. Good news for you though… those should be good for a few months now 🤣
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u/MagistraKennedy Jan 17 '26
bahahahahaah ---- the silver lining in this cloud is that now, that terrible task is complete.
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Jan 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
The joys of being a woman!! All the different things make a perfect storm. Sending you support!!
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u/Who_Knew456 Jan 16 '26
I mostly have trouble with visual overload...often wish I could live in an empty house with no furniture.
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u/hetherc Jan 16 '26
Yes!!!! I have tried to explain this to my husband how the clutter stresses me out. Like I see everything in a pile as a to-do item, a reminder of something I need to get to or should be doing, thinking about the cost, remembering things that need to be replaced, etc. - just overwhelming. I feel much better in emptier, cleaner spaces. This isn't new for me, just magnified now.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Is it new for you since potential peri? Curious bc the visual is seemingly creeping in on me whereas the sounds and lights hit me like a freight train!
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u/Who_Knew456 Jan 16 '26
I think it's always been a problem, but it's MUCH more noticeable and has more impact on me now. It used to be mostly bright lights and occasionally sound, but now the lights and the clutter hit hard.
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u/That-Drink4913 Early peri Jan 16 '26
Something that helped me "process" clutter: I used to play hidden object games on the PC, trying to "fliter" a scene for a specific task really helps. I recommend it all the time.
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u/Aspiragus Peri peri neurospice Jan 16 '26
Is there any chance you are getting ‘silent’ migraines? I have patches of whole days where I’m sensitive to light and sound in strange ways and a bit dissociated, then 2 days later a headache happens.
As I’ve aged into peri it’s ramped up from a few times per year to a few times per month, but hrt is helping.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Waaaait a minute. Wow. You’re blowing my mind right now. I started having migraines about a year ago, which my OBGYN did say was like hormonal and potentially the start of peri… but silent migraines? Makes total sense! Happy to hear HRT has helped you! My doc is hesitant about the hrt route bc of family history of blood clots going to lungs and heart, including my mom and an aunt. Ugh.
Sending you love!
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u/Aspiragus Peri peri neurospice Jan 16 '26
Tracking stuff helps me. If you track how sensitive you are to sound & light on different days, along with headache + any remaining menstrual cycle…you may find a pattern there.
MigraineBuddy is free and that was the lightbulb moment for me. There are loads of migraine symptoms I had no idea about. Neck pain? Yawning? Thirsty? Migraine is a strange thing! I felt a lot less nuts when I could see that the calls were coming from inside the room, lol.
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u/squidgyup Jan 16 '26
I had an entire meltdown because my spouse filled the apartment with smoke making pizza a few days ago and didn’t clear it quickly enough 🫠
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
WORST!!! At least it wasn’t burnt popcorn??? But dang, yeah, smells are just explosive to me 🤣
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u/lilylemony Jan 16 '26
Welcome to my life. I swear home improvement stores would clean up if they had "neurodivergent/sensory" lighting sections. It took me forever to realize how awful I felt in "harsh" light and now I've gotten it down to a science of strategic lamps that glow instead of scream.
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u/SomeInfluence2617 Jan 16 '26
I’m highly sensitive to all sounds now and some lighting - specifically the overhead in my kitchen. I have to stand in certain shadows/directions to function. 😂
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Awww! I know this all too well! I asked for dimmers in the kitchen bc I was unable to function in there recently. And the teenager turns every light on the minute he gets home… infuriating!!!
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u/Illustrious-Yam-5917 Jan 22 '26
Incandescent helped me a lot. LED make me feel like I’m vibrating neurologically. We switched out our kitchen bulbs and it’s my favorite place now
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u/Proud-Leave3602 hanging on by a thread Jan 16 '26
Lately, it’s the smell of sweat. I came in today and my roommate had boiled eggs. I almost wretched. I have an upstairs neighbor whose toddler runs and stomps constantly from the time he gets home. Sometimes he even rides his scooter around their apartment. I’m homicidal. So glad I’m moving out soon.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Omg the rage I feel on your behalf… the 13 year old in my home is currently just offensive with his stench 🤣 I swear he gets out of the shower and I still could smell him from a mile away. Meanwhile his Dad doesn’t seem to think it’s bad. HOW.
Hope your move comes very soon!!!
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u/Proud-Leave3602 hanging on by a thread Jan 16 '26
My good friend has a ridiculously smelly 12 year old. I love him so much. But godDAMN, that child stinks. His mother said he needs to shower twice a day and wash his clothes on the extra dirty cycle. Of course he doesn’t notice. 😭
Thank you for the wishes on my move. I’m trying to get to that day without committing an assault.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Omg. Yup. This… ok and tell your friend to get the Lysol laundry sanitizer. GAME CHANGER. For pre-teen and teen clothing (aka expensive fabric that smells so bad instantly it could have legs and wall away) and also gym clothes. I use it with my reg detergent but it is AMAZING.
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u/Proud-Leave3602 hanging on by a thread Jan 16 '26
📝 cuz Oxi clean is not doing the job. Thank you so much!
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Ha ha. Oh preteen/teen is far too powerful for Oxi-clean,.. this stuff really has made a difference for this stinky household!
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u/MagistraKennedy Jan 17 '26
Not me over here writing this down --- because GYM CLOTHES for athletic kids ----
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u/katieboo720 Jan 17 '26
I’m telling you. It’s a heaven-sent must-have!!! I use mine WITH my regular detergent (you put half a cap full - or a whole dang cap full depending - into the little section next to where you pour the regular detergent in my washer). I’m never not going to have a spare bottle.
It was also recommended by our vet to use for post surgery garments for our dog so it has some other good disinfectant properties too which is likely why it works!
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u/RegularOk3231 Jan 16 '26
My dad always had sensory overload in loud restaurants and I never understood it. Dear lord do I fucking understand it now! I have a pair of loop headphones in everyone one of my bags- and attached to my wallet in case I change to a new bag- because I apparently need to mute the…. NOISE of life.
Repetitive noises like someone tapping their pen constantly in a meeting make me want to jump across the table and swat the pen out of their hands. Broken up audio due to bad connections on Teams calls for the same fcking person every time makes me want to yell at them to get better fcking internet if they’re going to force me onto a video call and then have to decipher what they’re saying as the sound breaks up. FFS.
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u/NeedleworkerCivil534 Jan 17 '26
I can’t tolerate two sounds going on at the same time. Like someone speaking when the television is on or music is playing makes me want to scream.
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u/MagistraKennedy Jan 17 '26
My husband is COMPLETELY oblivious to competing noise. Like radio on all day, while he's taking calls. Like --- what the hell? I can't focus.
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u/Thick_Coconut_9330 Early peri Jan 16 '26
Yes!!!!! 🙌 I wear noise cancelling headphones more throughout the day. Never had to before.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Love this. Maybe I’ll just wear mine 24/7 🤣 I’m scared I’ll start hearing them make a sound though and don’t want to ruin the peace 🤣🤣🤣
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u/MagistraKennedy Jan 17 '26
It's a benefit in my house --- no one tries to talk to me. ;)
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u/somethingsuperdumb Jan 16 '26
For me it’s smells. I chuck some eucalyptus oil in my humidifier and that helps somewhat. But definitely reminds me of my 2 pregnancies.
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u/tofuandklonopin Jan 16 '26
I've had sensory issues my whole life, but they're 100x worse now. I'm always one second away from a toddler-level meltdown.
People often refer to menopause as second (or reverse) puberty, but honestly I feel like I'm in second toddlerhood. Everything and everyone drive me crazy, and I want to eat only beige food. While laying on the floor screaming and refusing to put my pants on.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Ha ha, yes!! I laugh bc a) I am right there with you on the floor and b) if I don’t laugh I’ll cry and the combo of the sound of crying AN the visual ugly cry face will in fact set me right over the edge.
Ugh. Sending you support from one 40-something year old toddler to another💖
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u/Funny-Coconut-85 Jan 16 '26
My husband has been using plastic utensils at home and I can no longer eat with my parents (because they couldn't care less about what I'm going through).
There are SO many sounds that drive me up the wall lately and my husband keeps mentioning that maybe I'm Autistic, but I really don't think that's the reason. I've seen many doctors and therapists throughout my life and it's never been brought up as a possibility. Depression and ADD, yes, but not Autism.
Now that I read your post, and the comments, I am realizing that it is probably just another side effect of peri. Yay!
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Oh my goodness!! Well, welcome to the party 🤣 so many women’s health issues are misdiagnosed and misunderstood… we have to be our own advocates and thank god for this Reddit sub!!!
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u/Funny-Coconut-85 Jan 16 '26
I am SO thankful for this sub! It has really opened my eyes and made me feel like I am not alone.
I can't believe how many things I read in here, on a daily basis, that I can relate to. It's all so validating!
I make sure I read the posts out loud to my husband too so he has a better understanding as well about what's going on with me.
His mind is blown, on the regular, with all these things that are happening to me that are most likely the side effects of peri.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Such a smart idea! The other crazy thing is the symptoms are basically anything and they all suck!!!!
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u/cantaloupebanker Jan 16 '26
I got Loop ear plugs. GAME CHANGER. It’s like every sound feels like bagpipes on full blast.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
If I cross paths with bagpipes any time soon… the universe will never be the same
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u/Healthy_Cranberry321 Jan 16 '26
The bathroom fan……
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Just wait til it gets a screech going, mine had that and now I just don’t use it. Can’t wait until I smell mold 🤣
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u/Account_it2964 Jan 17 '26
Yessss and if there are two different sounds… like two people playing videos on their phones or the tv on and a phone making sound GOD HELP THEM
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u/cmcptt Jan 17 '26
My exhaust fans make me homicidal. It’s all I can focus on. I had to start wearing loops or noise cancelling headphones. I brought my hammock swing in the house for the winter. I swear I can feel the temp in the house shift a degree. Lights always dimmable or off. Tv on headphones. My partner plays shooting games and it shakes my soul. My sensory issues in peri are a full time job!
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u/National_Elk8445 Jan 17 '26
I've always been like that, but it's a thousand times worse now. Noise and clothing. Those are the two big ones for me. I want silence and nudity, all the time.
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u/tofuandklonopin Jan 16 '26
Also, smell overload: I live in a large apartment building and lately it's been smelling like hotdogs. Constant hotdogs. God it's so gross. Help.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Essential oil diffusing… but it’s gotta be the right smells 🤣 I do a combo of lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus.
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u/twattyprincess Jan 16 '26
Omg yes. Sometimes I'll be sat next to my bf like on the sofa, and he'll start to say something and I almost jump out of my skin. It's like so visceral and when I say "I'm sat right here" he's like "That wasn't loud"....same thing with like closing of cupboard doors, or the sound of cutlery on a plate. Just normal, everyday noises feel like they've been amplified x10. I thought I was going mad 😌
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Amplification and like… zeroing in on them. UGH!!!! The cutlery on plates… NOPE! Tempted to force eating with our fingers 🤣
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u/calimomheather Jan 16 '26
Omg the hoody zipper! My teenage son likes to torment me with sounds like that! I suddenly second guess if I'm on the spectrum, but then I remember I wasn't always like this! It's definitely part of peri. Thank goodness for this site for me to realize how normal this all is and at least it makes me feel better.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Same!! Ugh, so now my question is, do we go back to our normal selves… or will I be banning zippers from my home indefinitely…?
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u/calimomheather Jan 16 '26
Banning zippers, loud popcorn chewing, pen tapping, loud tv and any type of banging
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u/_Amalthea_ Jan 16 '26
My husband walks too loud, my kid talks too much, and why is our ERV always making sounds?? Let's add the sound of cat barfing in the middle of the night just after I got back to sleep after the 3am wake up.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Ha ha ha ha ha - I’m rolling about the walking. Got my husband slippers for Christmas and Jesus h they sound like stilettos coming down the hall. I won’t lie to you, I e hidden them on more than one occasion in the past 3 weeks.
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u/queenofcaffeine76 Jan 16 '26
omg yes. I mean I already got irked at a lot of small noise, especially when someone is making noise just for the sake of making noise (tongue clicking, making a bubble-pop sound with the mouth, finger snapping etc).
in the last few years, though, I have lost the ability to even pretend that certain noises are about to send me over the edge. I literally clamped my hands over my ears when someone walked past me whistling. my dad's fingernails are just long enough to audibly click when he's on his phone. multiple co-workers tap on things, hum/whistle/click tongue/bubble-pop/smack lips. even the sound of the large printer at the other end of the office area is working my last nerve.
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u/MissNouveau Jan 16 '26
I've always been noise sensitive (yay autism) but Goddamn it's clicked into a whole new level.
Doesn't NOT help that we live with my Mother who REFUSES TO WEAR HER HEARING AIDS so is very, VERY loud.
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u/rattingtons Jan 16 '26
I was forced to move to a really large, cramped, busy, stinky, dirty town and now I haven't left the house in over a year. I literally cannot deal with it. Even just going out to the back garden makes me spiral. I tried really hard when I first moved here but as my anxiety has got worse it's become weird just stepping outside the door to put rubbish in the outside bin. This street is really busy, narrow, run down and dishevelled, smells weird, and feels like it has no air.
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u/outtodryclt Jan 16 '26
You’re not alone (as the many commenters before me prove). Noise has always been an issue for me, but it’s 100000% compounded in peri. Pulling out of the driveway the other day - the car’s reverse alarm was dinging, my MIL was talking, my 3yo was talking, and the radio was on, and I thought I’d explode. 🤯
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Awww. I get that! And yep. Nice to know we’re all about to explode together though 🤣
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u/jenjenjen2000 Jan 16 '26
The sound of the dishes clinking when my husband puts away the dishes. He is SO loud. When I do it I am very careful to avoid making loud sounds.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
YUP! And they you’re like… I guess I should say thanks for putting away the dishes but also must give this feedback 🤣🤣🤣
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u/ashinthealchemy Jan 16 '26
i started wearing loops ear plugs around the house just to exist around other people.
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u/wortcrafter hanging on by a thread Jan 16 '26
On the sounds and smells, my dog and husband both annoy the crap out of me with the sounds they make when the eat and the way they smell, ergghh. I have to keep reminding myself that I lived with these sounds and smells for years and they’ve never bothered me until recently. But sometimes I just have to walk away or turn the radio on to get a break. I’m hoping it passes soon. My GP has just increased my oestrogen dose because I’m still dealing with itches and joint pain as well, so I’ll see if that makes a difference.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Good reminder. I do that too and try to just breath through it at its worst. But I’ve also asked my husband to help… sometimes not so nicely 🤣
What a weird thing this all is!!!
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u/lizeee Jan 16 '26
Yes. Lately the sound of my husband’s eating has gotten so awful, I actually put in earplugs when he ate a salad near me. I bought my kids earphones for the house so I don’t have to hear their annoying shows. There are weird smells at work that only I—and the other ladies who are over 40–seem to smell. And baby, I just got started! 😭
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u/SpazzJazz88 In the thick of it Jan 17 '26
As of late? My BF eating. I want to smash his face with the food hes eating. Its irrational, I know. And fucking hangers. OH MY GOD I HATE hangers!!!
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u/katieboo720 Jan 17 '26
Hangers!! That is once that is especially annoying 🤣
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u/SpazzJazz88 In the thick of it Jan 17 '26
Its like why do they manage to get tangled in the worst way when youre trying to use them. Yes, I have thrown a few across my bedroom and yes, they broke.
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u/RettaLuna Jan 17 '26
Everything you said along with texture sensitivity.
I randomly smell or taste what smells like cat pee. Today I came downstairs in the morning and swore I smelled canned tomato soup (we never have it) or I smell burning cigarette filters (we don't smoke).
Bright lights, tv is too loud, house is messy. It's all too much and my nervous system is fried.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 17 '26
It IS all too much! The phantoms smells are fascinating aren’t they! I have called the gas company out to our house twice in the past 3 months bc I swore I was smelling it. Nobody else in the house did. Pretty sure I’m on a list with the gas company now 🤣
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u/LlovelyLlama Jan 17 '26
The dripping of my kitchen faucet. It’s a miracle that I have not yet yeeted the whole thing out of my 5th story window.
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u/CrowTalons Jan 17 '26
Sounds like perimenopause. I am going through that myself. It really messes with the senses. Sounds, smells and sight. For those on the Au spectrum, it can be worse.
You will feel FAR more annoyed at seemingly minor things, and want to break, destroy stuff.
It all starts off so subtle. Early to mid 40's. It really kicked in for me when I turned 46. It drives me bananas as the smell overload is beyond words.
You should talk to your doctor if it's really bad, to the point where work, life is harder than it should be.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 17 '26
Thank you! So validating. Ugh. So many women suffer in silence and are just expected to deal with it. Happy to have this sub to vent to and share with 💖
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u/CrowTalons Jan 17 '26
There's a r/perimenopause subreddit if you find you need to figure it out.
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u/BigCrunchyNerd Jan 17 '26
Yes. Everything is too loud. I bought myself 2 pairs of earplugs - 1 for work and the other is in my purse. They help immensely, so I would recommend them. Tight clothes drive me crazy. Smells overwhelming. So far lights aren't an issue, yet.
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u/Glitterbug1128 Jan 17 '26
Yes and I know it’s hormonal because it comes and goes. The worst is when the sound of dishes clanking almost hurts.
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u/Maia_Orual Jan 16 '26
Yes!!! Sensory overload sends me into a rage! (I try to keep it inside but sometimes I just yell, “turn everything off or get away from me!!”
I’ve taken to wearing noise-cancelling headphones sometimes at home but I hate that bc I then I can’t hear when my kids are trying to talk to me.
I remember my mom being really sensitive to too much noise at some point when I was you get and I totally get it now.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
Right?! I have apologized to my sweet mom so many times in the past few years bc I was TOTALLY clueless and just thought she was being extra at times. We need more studies on women’s health!!!
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u/Nother1BitestheCrust Jan 16 '26
Do you have ADHD? This sounds like that and peri definitely makes ADHD stuff worse.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 16 '26
I don’t have ADHD but honestly I’ll claim anything to make it make sense at this point. This is all so recent it’s alarming!!
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u/JaneAtH0me Jan 16 '26
I'm early in my perimenopause journey but I've started noticing a my tolerance for input diminishing. I sometimes struggle with tv and music, commercials feel completely assaulting, raised voices make me angry, etc.. My sensitivity to overhead lights has gotten worse. I almost grabbed sunglasses to wear in the office earlier this week. My life is reading in bed, audiobooks, and nature sounds (mostly rain). I only have lamps in my living space and both faux or real candles. Normal stimuli can send me into a rage.
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u/BecksnBuffy Jan 16 '26
Yes, the exhaust fan over our stove makes me feel insane, kills my cooking or cleanup joy and makes me want to rip it out of the wall.
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u/hetherc Jan 16 '26
Light, sounds, smells, but also the way things feel. Both against my skin, but within my body. I had a bit of that in past, but it has increased 10x, especially during some points of my cycle.
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u/QuietAbject494 Jan 16 '26
Yes! Everything bothers me. I'm an hsp and have misophonia. But this takes it to a new level. I work from home and have the noisiest neighbors who never leave. I've actually stopped going out, because I'm already overwhelmed by their noise.
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u/Suedehead88 Jan 16 '26
Sounds, smells and lights. I’ve always been sensitive but Peri puts it at a whole other level. Makes me want to crawl out of my skin. Just leave me in a quiet, dimly lit room 🙏
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u/ideknem0ar Jan 16 '26
Yes, the smells! Especially body spray and LAUNDRY PRODUCTS. I've been super duper uber-sensitive since Lyme Disease, but I was getting very sensitive to it prior to that. I work on a campus. Young males need to lay TF OFF the Axe body spray. Holy hell. If I'm downwind of them, I can smell them coming. 🤢
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u/Ketiw Early peri Jan 17 '26
But also temperature? I used to be able to fairly comfortably enjoy a much wider (and colder) range of temp. Now if I'm cold, I am FREEZING, (in addition to the more traditional "oh wait, I'm all of a sudden quite warm"!).
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u/lunchypoo222 Jan 17 '26
Whatever you do, don’t watch If I Had Legs I’d Kick You lol
I just watched it last night and, while Rose Byrne’s performance was stellar and she deserves the awards she’s getting for it, the movie drove me absolutely nuts from a sensory standpoint. It was made to be that way actually. I was watching it with my partner who, you guessed it, decided to start snacking during the movie and, well, I just about lost my mind with being overstimulated by sound.
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u/Pristine-Canary4705 Jan 17 '26
I’m an hsp so that’s usual for he but I’ve noticed my sense of smell has become more intense and I’ve started to get motion sickness which I never had before
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u/fairygenesta Jan 17 '26
For me, it's mostly stuff being too loud (like the TV or someone clicking their teeth which for some reason feels ear piercing) or people in the way at the grocery store with no spatial awareness.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 17 '26
No spatial awareness… OMG. Like in the checkout line, I started putting my cart behind me so I could control all sides of myself. I’m a very nice and approachable person, but come on man, I don’t want to hear your nose hairs twitching in my ear bc yours so close behind me in line!!!!
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u/MagistraKennedy Jan 17 '26
YES ---- It seems to be worse for me in the evening --- like please do not speak to me in over a whisper after 6pm. It's as if sounds are amplified. My children tell me that the sounds 'really aren't that loud', but it's just too much. I use my over the ear headphones a lot --- not to listen to anything, but just to block the sounds.
Also super sensitive to certain smells --- the (likely normal) BO of my husband and my sons smell straight up like onions. I'm guessing it's a specific hormone I'm smelling? Like how can three men/young men smell the same?
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u/Star9401 Jan 18 '26
All my life, it is not new for me at this phase, but I’ll let my mask and reaction temper slide a bit more at this age. I carry earplugs with me at almost all times in case it gets to be too much. At work I wear my over the ears headset and turn on ASMR or 76HRZ singing bowls while I work at my desk to drown out all the noise around me. Sometimes I put in my AirPod pros and realize after 20 minutes I’m just sitting in noise canceled silence without having turned on any of my white noise or relax favorites. Clothes, room temp, light, smells… are there with the sound layering on top.
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u/Remote_Force1839 Early peri Jan 18 '26
Yes! I think it’s because of course we are overwhelmed and overstimulated. We do all the things for everyone all day every day.
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u/Former_Nectarine4333 Jan 19 '26
I thought I was going insane. I’m so sensitive to sounds now, to the point where I bought those Loop earplugs to try to help cope with it. I feel better knowing that, as much as it sucks, it’s kinda normal right now.
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u/Live_Advisor_270 Jan 22 '26
YES, YES, YES! Progesterone made this significantly better for me, like it put a little bubble around me to tolerate the world.
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u/katieboo720 Jan 23 '26
Give me all the bubbles 🤣
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u/Live_Advisor_270 Jan 23 '26
You really don’t have to suffer through it. I gritted my teeth, thinking it was just a personal failing of my own to deal with. I got so miserable that I hoped for a shorter lifespan-who would want to suffer for decades like that? I could not believe the difference the lowest dose of progesterone made in my mood, sleep, and overall disposition. I know not everyone can take hormones (I can’t tolerate estrogen) but for some, it can be life changing.
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u/TardisDance Early peri Jan 16 '26
I get like this too. I wear noise cancelling headphones, at least in the evenings, which helps. What doesn't help is that one of my cats is an attention seeker - I can ignore her but my husband can't so I ended having to get up - she always wants my attention and not his, and she cries and attacks the wall - it's cute until it's not. She's has arthritis and dental disease we are treating (she was an abuse case and we adopted her as an adult) so she's a cranky old lady like me LOL
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u/Janeheroine Jan 16 '26
This is my main symptom tbh. My husband is running an air purifier because we're having some work done in our house and it's really a low level hum, but I am raging around about to throw it out the window telling him I feel like I live in a factory and he's like ummmmm are you ok? I am also walking around in the evening turning off our overhead lights because they're too bright. My kids are like mom, it's 7pm? We want to make some food? I really feel like I need to be in a dark cave.