Longlady

Hi,

I joined a while ago and had a number of months under my belt but then Covid hit and I started drinking again. Started just a few but quickly back up to unacceptable levels so needed to stop which I have

So I've stopped again, 42 days and seem to be doing ok but I've noticed my hearing seems very sensitive. I used to have quite bad hearing but from googling it seems alcohol can interfere with hearing so is it possible now I've stopped it has improved? My main reason for asking this is I can hear my neighbours quite a lot which I couldn't before and wondering if this is a side affect of going sober? Or perhaps I'm just agitated from not drinking as I'm spending more time quietly watching telly or reading.

Haris2014

Could be a blood pressure thing, I have found my hearing is getting better as my blood pressure has dropped...one of the many benefits

C0ntr0ls

"I can hear my neighbours quite a lot which I couldn't before...."
Not to sound like a smart a$$ but is it possible it's just because you're sober?
Congrats on the 42!

Longlady

Now that is quite possible! I've asked them about banging recently but it's a distinct possiblity they've always been like that and I'm just more awake now!

C0ntr0ls

I myself would be happy if my hearing improved and I'll assume those around me would be happy also.

Mizz

I would suspect it has to do with you being sober. You are not intoxicated and therefore are present to hear all that is going on around you. Makes sense.

sortofhomecomin

Sensitivity to noise is not uncommon in early recovery, I had it myself. I assume it's because as a nervous system relaxant/depressant, alcohol numbs the senses, but that's not a scientific explanation, it's just me speculating.

Buckley3

Pretty much agree with the others. Also I found myself wondering if you are paying more attention to what's going on around you because your mind isn't pre-occupied with the negativity and coping chatter that goes on in the sober times. What I mean is...of course you are more attentive than when you were drunk... but what I think is also very powerful that doesn't get mentioned enough is that even in our sober moments a relationship with alcohol tends to dominate what and how we think. So I think there are big improvements to our conscious state beyond just not being drunk. We free up mental capacity to be more attentive and constructive with our thoughts whereas before so much of that capacity was eaten up by so much of the ripple effect of our actions while drunk.

Best to you

-B

aasharon90

Not sure what's going on over here with 30 yrs sobriety
but I must have vulcan hearing, meaning I hear everything,
including my husbands every move and sound as well as
my neighbors too.

I can hear a pin drop at my age, 60ish, and let me tell
you, I have to stop myself and say my Serenity prayer
and to remind myself that folks are entitled to make what
ever noise they won't even if I don't like it.

When outside in my garden of paradise i am expecting
to listen to my pretty birds, find serenity amongst all my
pretty flowers, until, the neighbor drives up in his towering
truck or something being thrown in the recycling bin, or
singing from the wife who must be wearing her earphones
and cant hold a tune.

All that serenity is gone with the wind and my feathers
are ruffled.

We're sandwhiched in between 2 houses and we have a
tall vinyl fence surrounding all neighbors, however, i may
not see them, yet, i can definitely hear them amplified times
2. lol

Anyway, keep working and building your strong recovery
foundation to live upon moving forward and continue learning
new helpful tools to listen with acceptance and patience, lessons
that even as we get older have to relearn to live in harmony
around other folks.

Longlady

Thankyou for the replies. I have been driving myself mad for a few weeks and keep saying to husband why is everyone so loud. Even cars driving past my house I swear I've not heard them like this before, there's a train line half a mile away and I can hear the train clearly, lived in my house ten years and never heard it before. It's been making me jumpy but I now see it's likely the way I'm processing sounds so will tell myself to ignore it. I can hear my boiler right now and I'm sure it was never this loud lol.
Lack of sleep and getting agitated by every little noise is something I'm going to work on.

silversky

I get this too, especially if I am irritable or tired, like you mention. Last year I heard this calming exercise that I still find helpful. Close your eyes (or don't) and listen for the quietest sound you can hear. There are always soft, quiet sounds around us. Which one is the quietest? It helps to shift attention in how we filter sound. I still like this practice. Congrats on 42 days!