I have a lot of trouble with bejng sensitive. To make matters worse, I have moderate to severe hearing loss.

I have Meniere’s Syndrome, which I was diagnosed with, age 30. It has 3 main symptoms – it causes fluctuating hearing loss – yes, what a bad joke – even my hearing loss is inconsistent – mine never improves above moderately severe any more, and sometimes plunges to profound deafness. All in a matter of seconds.

People don’t understand that – “why, you could hear me just fine yesterday!”

It also causes all sorts of “ear noise”. Ringing and roaring, bacon frying, crickets chirping, engines roaring, which often sounds like airplanes/chain saws/lawn mowers/tractor trailer trucks outside my window at 2 am. To make matters worse, one time there really was a helicopter landed outside my window – an emergency landing! – so I never can be sure if it’s real or not – talk about a distraction!

Sometimes the noise/tinnitus matches environmental sounds – door bells keep on “ringing”, running water keeps on “running”, and bees keep on buzzing in my ears long after I’ve left the hive.

And the third symptom is vertigo. Sometimes just a little dizzy and nauseous, sometimes “killer” level – so bad I can’t hold my head up or see the bag I need to throw up in from the spinning.

The Meniere’s is frustrating, frightening, and life-disruptive… And I have inattentive ADHD.

I am 68 years old,and diagnosed with ADHD LAST YEAR! It had gotten so bad, I REALLY thought I had dementia. But testing at three different facilities showed that I have an amazing memory.

I’ve had Meniere’s almost 40 years, and I’ve had inattentive ADHD all my life. I also am sensitive. I have “flooding” emotions. I get hurt and cry easily.

Now I am old and cranky and fed up with people always making fun either of my hearing loss or my “forgetfulness.”

I forgot where I was going with this… but I’m fed up and now instead of hurt and crying, I get angry.

I don’t care if you “sometimes can’t hear well, either.” Unless you’ve had serious life-impacting problems because of your hearing loss, your hearing loss is not my hearing loss.

I don’t care about your recommendations for the latest hearing device you saw advertised in a magazine – we are discussing drilling a hole in my skull to install cochlear implants, so I’m pretty sure I’m on the cutting edge of technology.

And I’m not interested in your organizational techniques to keep your house sparkling, your car neat as a pin, and your desk organized while working a full time job, babysitting your grandkids, and running three businesses from home. Ok???!!!? Just leave me alone!

Oh look, it’s time for my meds! 🧐

Dear Becca & Renata

I feel the exact same way.

Even sometimes when I feel an interaction went ‘well’ I still doubt myself and think about it constantly and then start criticising myself. I think about what the other person thought about me and then then I look for mistakes in myself. I’m not sure if it is my fear of rejection or abandonment but it is super exhausting.
At least I am very self aware that I’m doing it constantly and hopefully, with time, I’ll manage to control these thoughts and feelings.

Hi Sue,

I know this is an old post, but maybe you still check in occasionally. I also feel like I can’t straighten up, and I feel like I shouldn’t be saying “poor me” because there is so much that is good, and I know the world has infinite suffering I don’t have. But your feelings do make me want to learn more about what other people are going through. At least we aren’t alone. Even if it’s just online.

Hi Natalie,

That’s funny because I also have to buy sensitive toothpaste, hair stuff, skin stuff, you name it. I isolate myself to not cause friction on my skin or my heart. I am interested in learning more about what ADHD is, because I haven’t learned that much yet. Thank you for sharing. At least someone out there has experienced this.

Hi Becca,
I feel like I am reading an exact mirror of my soul when I read your efforts to not upset people, get it all ‘right’ and not enjoying any other parts of life. I am not sure how to proceed, but reading your story at least makes me feel like I am not alone. Thank you for sharing.

I believe I receive far more criticism than others do, and it seems to be forming a pattern. In the past I have taken this criticism on board and have tried to change but this has caused even more stress on me trying to get everything right in fear of receiving more criticism. Because I was late by 2 mins on the shop floor one day, I was pulled up about it. Now I run around getting stressed every morning and often leave the house without breakfast as I fear that I will be late. Because sometimes people take what I say the wrong way, when my comment was innocent, I am now fearful of saying the wrong thing and second guessing what someone might take offence to. I was given more responsibility as a supervisor yet sometimes I find it difficult to read when I am meant to deal with a problem myself, or when I am meant to take it to my manager. This has lead to people feeling like I have undermined them. All of this is leaving me exhausted to the point of not enjoying any other part of my life. I don’t want to draw, I don’t see friends, I don’t partake in other activities that bring me joy because I feel so tired and depressed. My anxiety is through the roof and I am extremely unhappy.

I don’t know how to cope with all of this, or what the solutions are. I feel like I’m treading water all the time, and the minute I’ve grabbed hold of the life raft and I’m about to pull myself up, someone pushes me back in.