RSS 2.0Is there a gum-chewing etiquette?
Filed under: General
I have this problem and I need your help. A coworker of mine, who shall remain nameless, likes to chew her gum like a cow chews it’s cud. It’s loud, obnoxious, disgusting, and goes on for several hours - each and every day. There’s no doubt in my mind that our entire office can hear her incessant gum smacking, especially when the crescendo of bubble bursting begins. I’m losing my mind. I can’t get any work done unless my headphones are jammed deep into my ear canals, blasting music loud enough to drown-out the sounds of her mouth. I’m going deaf in order to earn a paycheque. (@#$%!, the blood curdling symphony of gum smaking fills my ears as I type this!) I desperately want need to say something (privately, of course), but I’m worried that:
- my relationship with this person will suffer as a result, and working with her will become strained and awkward,
- she will quickly return to smacking and popping her gum, because that’s the way she’s always chewed her gum, and bad habits rarely die young,
- I’m being overly sensitive (I’m easily agitated by anyone that makes mouth noises, be it eating food, or in this case: chewing gum), because nobody else in my office seems to have any problem with her noisy gum chewing habit.
So, I put this out to all of you:
- Would you be annoyed in a similar situation?
- Should I confront my co-worker?
- Would you agree that, annoying or not, the gum-smacking is highly inappropriate behavior in a professional environment?
- Am I some sort of overly sensitive control freak that needs to be more tolerant of others’ annoying habits?
I will await the good counsel of my readers before embarking on a plan to end my misery.
UPDATE (12/18/2004): What started as a spontaneous venting of rage, caused by my office-worker’s former disgusting habit of popping and smacking her gum (yes, she stopped… hallelujah!), seems to have resonated with many, many people, and has ultimately inspired the creation of a community-based Web site (softsoundsensitivity.org), devoted to those who suffer from the same, or similar sound sensitivities as I.
Kudos to Rob, one of our commentors, for putting together this great site.
So did you tell her? Perhaps you should develop an equally annoying habit that will disrupt her quality of workplace life. I suggest your pass gas loudly and often. Better still if you can produce some ungodly aroma when you do.
Another idea is to offer her a hard candy - one that lasts long enough for you to get some work done. Although, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if your colleague produced an entirely different repertoire of sucking sounds.
I feel your pain. Long live rock and roll. Good luck.
I haven’t opened pandora’s box, yet. Actually, I was hoping that she would stumble upon the post, and read it for herself. This is not an impossibility, as most of the people I work with have seen my site, at one time or another.
(pop, pop, smack smack)
You have my complete and total sympathy but I don’t have any suggestions. I’ve ended friendships over this habit all because I was too embarrased to mention it to somebody for fear of their reaction. I’d still say you have more to gain than lose by mentioning it. Good luck.
Thanks for dropping by, Alan. Knowing that there are others out there that are equally put-off by such behavior makes me feel slightly less ridiculous.
At this point, in a final attempt to avoid creating a rift between myself and my coworker, I’m about to embark on a campaign of subtle harrassment. The ultimate goal is to make this person more aware of her own behavior, without direct confrontation.
We’ll see how that goes.
Thank you for helping me realize I am not the only person who can’t stand mouth noises. This has been a problem my entire life. Both of my bosses chew gum obnoxiously as well, and I constantly struggle with this issue too. I know from hard personal experience that family members were very offended when I asked them (as politely and with my tail tucked between legs as possible) to, for instance, chew with their mouths closed. Because I work in a very intimate office and it is imperative that we all function smoothly as a team, I have never directly confronted either of my bosses with my request, but one of them is aware that I hate gum-snapping. . . and she seems to have started doing it more since she acknowledged that I don’t like it. The other boss is oblivious, but that doesn’t make it any better. I practically go hide in my office whenever they come in with gum. I can hear it over everything else - I’m attuned to it, but it makes me want to scream.
Whew.
That said, I’m afraid the only advice I have is that, if you do decide to approach her, make sure you’re feeling casual, in a good mood, and don’t make it seem very serious. Just mention that sometimes you get distracted by certain noises, like gum-chewing (and maybe throw in some other, non-related examples). I wish you luck, and would love to share horror stories with you sometime.
I feel your pain. I’m at grad school in the US, and every day am subjected to a plethora of gum-smacking, chewing, popping etc. noises. It’s gotten so that I will move seats in the library or on the subway to avoid having to listen to the bovine in question.
It’s not that Europeans don’t have this disgusting habit; simply that every second or third American I encounter seems to be chewing vacantly, with their mouth open, staring into space. It’s vulgar and aesthetically ugly, and I can’t believe that they aren’t aware how offensive the sight, and sound, and awful minty smell is.
Whenever my buddies start to chew, I tell them gently exactly how bizarre it looks and how awful I find it, and if they insist on continuing, I ask how they would feel if I lit up a cigarette (a habit that I gave up because, ironically, Americans objected so often). They usually take my point….
So, although you may not be a confrontational individual, please say something gently. If it continues even after that, at least you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you tried, and the sense of impotence lessened somewhat.
Or you could just tell her how much she looks like a cow and make a mooing noise for good measure!
Bonne Chance!
I am a journalism student and I’m actually writing a story about how much I hate gum and the noises people make when chewing it. Would any of you be willing to be interviewed on your extreme gum-chewing phobias? I need stories about situations where it has driven you crazy — where you’ve retaliated or said something in a movie theater or in a library, or anyplace. Let me know! Thanks.
Ack! I have the same problem with TWO people at work! Problem is, they are “family” in a family owned business. Hopeless for me I’m afraid. My only solution is to find another job. Gum popping totally annoys me to no end!
Hello–
Found your site because I was searching under “gum chewing office etiquette”… just started a job 5 months ago and one of my co-workers, who I otherwise like and admire, is turning into a hearty chomper–who gets louder and faster as the day progresses and the frustration level increases. Has anyone had any success with confronting the problem in an office setting
If anyone does approach their “chomper” please do tell us how the heck you handled it. I am going nuts.
Wow…I thought no one else understood my pain!! I have three people that surround me at work, and two of them have this extremely irritating and disgusting habit.
One is a smacker (who I have to work very closely with) and one is a cracker and popper. The earphones are crammed in and cranked at this moment. There are times I don’t even hear my phone because I have them so loud. I believe I may go deaf soon, but at least I wouldn’t have to listen to this maddening noise. It really kills me, the woman I work closely with is perfect with office etiquette and manners - yet she chews her gum like a farm animal would. How did she make it through her life without anyone saying anything?! How is it that no one else I work with ever seems to mind? I was starting to think I was the only one who couldn’t handle these noises. I’m ready to rip my hair out at the end of the day! I get ‘testy’ with the smacker and I’m sure she just thinks I’m moody and not very nice. I put every effort into avoiding ‘projects’ with her and I’m sure she just has no clue that she’s driving me completely mad. Even in meetings…smack smack smack…mouth open, doublemint smell wafting through the room. She spits one piece out while unwrapping another to pop in. I thought about trying to find another job - but then looking around at the mall or grocery store it seems as if one of every 3 people is chewing away- mouth open…it’s just disgusting. I inevitably end up with the cracker/smacker behind me in the check out line and I’m really temped to say something to this person, especially since they’re someone that I will probably never encounter again “You know, the habit you have of cracking/and or smacking your gum is irritating and you’re probably bothering dozens of people a day, they’re just too nice to say anything.” I wish someone would say that to my co-workers…just to make them THINK. Unfortunately, they’d probably think “What? Why would that bother you?” Don’t they remember their mom telling them not to eat with their mouth open? Same rules for gum guys. UGH!
Wow, indeed!
I have no idea how, but it does seem that most people are able to tolerate, and even ignore, the smacking and popping. Unfortunately, we are not so lucky.
I am, however, somewhat comforted in the knowledge that I’m not the only “gum nazi” out there.
Since I first posted the gum rant, my situation has improved…although, only slightly. It turns out that gum-smacking, and popping, becomes a habit as hard to stop as smoking.
The offender in my office, thankfully, is not a classic defensive type.
Several weeks ago I decided to bite the bullet and politely confront her. I made sure we were alone, so as not to embarass her in front of our coworkers, and just explained to her that the gum smacking and popping was a distraction that made it difficult for me to concentrate on my work.
I was surprised by her reaction. She turned all beet red and apologized profusely. She claimed to not even be aware of her foul habit, and promised to do something about it.
Since then, I have noticed an improvement. However, there are still days when things get out of hand, and homicidal thoughts flood my mind.
Confronting her was a major positive, though. Now that the ice is broken, I can just shoot her a semi-evil look and the smacking and popping will stop, even if only for a short while. In fact, today I decided to try something new. When my threshold for the smacking and popping was exceeded, I sent her this:
http://www.sector404.org/images/nogum.jpg
Tension broken. A good laugh was had. I haven’t heard one smack or pop since.
I have already accepted that the road ahead is long, but I am determined to train her to think before she pops.
My advice to all of you is to be proactive on this matter. Every gum-smacker is different, and some may react poorly, but confrontation is the only choice if you wish to preserve your sanity. Summon-up the required courage and just go for it. However, and this is crucial, DO NOT CONFRONT YOUR SMACKER/POPPER WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY. It’s best if the offender doesn’t feel like you’re attacking him/her.
Keep us all posted on your successes and/or failures.
Thanks for all your comments, and best of luck!
-phil
This is perhaps the thing I hate the most. My sister used to do it around me until I asked her to stop. When she didn’t I actually reached into her mouth and yanked the gum out.
I’ve noticed that most (99.99999 percent) of the gum snappers are female. What gives with this? Does anyone know a male gum snapper?
Just as serial killers seem to be always be male, it also seems snapping tends to be a female affliction. I don’t recall any adult male ’snappers’.
There are male chompers I occasionally encounter. If you tune into a football or a baseball game and watch the coaches (and players in baseball), those guys chomp like that gum is the last food like substance they’ll ever have. Of course, we are talking about sports here…THE most important thing in American society, lots of pressure to succeed there, lots of stress they need an outlet for.
I personally have found no solution for my chomper. I tried with all my power to avoid a project with her once because of the gum chomping, and it ended with her running away to the bathroom crying. I’d say that’s a pretty good sign a confrontation would not go well.
Meanwhile, I will crank the headphones and perhaps study Buddhism to try to learn to just accept everything around me. Serenity now…insanity later.
Someone can ruin their entire persona by smacking gum. It does not promote a professional image or good team play, especially when the person is aware of its offense to a co-worker. It is a sure sign that that person does not care. I have tried to cajole the offensive party and laugh at myself for the nuisance, but it affects my ability to perform, and my performance is depended on by the whole team. There has got to be some workplace rule somewhere on noise abuse. For the sake of our team’s future, I may have to request a physical move and lose an acquaintance. In the end, she loses. I thought there might be the threat of cavities or something else that might get her attention. It can’t be good for your teeth. Help!!!
What an unprofessional and gross habit. Doesn’t the popping and snapping sounds really help your concentration at work?!! I would not approach her. Tell your human resources person or supervisor about it, then if he or she is professional about it they will tell your coworker that it is an anonymous complaint. Approaching the person privately, or your supervisor or human resources person telling her who the person is who actually made the complaint (you) then she might be spiteful and make it worse or make your relationship more difficult. Even worse like in my case, turn others against you also.
Oh my gosh. My heart is pounding and my shoulders are tense just reading these comments. I was actually looking for some help with this same issue when I stumbled acrossed your post. I become irrationally angry (NOT my personality at all) when I am exposed to obscene mouth noises and feel totally helpless. I am the Director of a company and it is equally as difficult for me to address offending employees as it is for an employee to address a supervisor (if there is any comfort in that knowledge). Last night my mom called to ask me if I still had that “problem” with gum chewing because my young cousin (14) had just been taken out of school because he couldn’t deal with all of the gum smacking and food chomping. His mother also suffers from the same “phonia”(not phobia). They found a doctor that has diagnosed the problem as a variation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and have prescribed anti-anxiety meds for him. (Point of Interest: his Dr. told him that this disorder occurs at a higher frequency in those with above average intelligence, hmmm.) I don’t believe in medication so I haven’t approached this fix yet, but I’m getting close. I have also looked at other disorders including phonophobia, misophonia and hyperacusis. These “disorders” all have attributable factors to what we suffer from, but none of them state, “a person who hates the sound of gum being chewed as if by a ruminant”!!! Unfortunately, none of them offer a quick fix, but for me there was comfort in the fact knowing that I wasn’t the only normal person out there that feels these same emotions. I will continue to go to church and move from pew to pew to get away from parents who give their children gum to keep them “quiet”, move seats at the theater to get away from the cud chewing behind me, etc. As for my employees, I will continue to fire those offending my ears and ask interviewees to chew a piece of gum for me before I hire them. J/K
I, too, have suffered with 3 gum chewers in my office. The cacaphony of popping and cracking has actally made me so mad I was close to tears. They truly do not know how stupid it makes them look or sound. It is unprofessional. How can anyone kept something in thier mouth that long? I fill your rage. Has anyone asked Dear Abby for advice?
I was able to suck it up for all of a month before I decided that my health and sanity were far more important than my fear of offending the gum smacker in my office. I confronted her, and continue to confront her whenever the gum-smacking gets out of hand. I can only suggest you do the same, but not at a moment when you’re about to “lose it”. You don’t want your emotions controlling the situation.
Good luck.
AMEN! All of your comments are so what I have been feeling for about 6 months. And, get this - my coworker is a guy! He not only cracks his gum and blows bubbles (large) all day long, he whistles constantly. I have made myself crazy feeling like no one else around here is bothered as much as I am and yet I work in a very quiet, professional office (with lawyers!).
I think gum offenses are typically by women, which is why I think he seems so “sissy” to have such an awful habit. I’m shocked his wife has never told him to cut if out.
I agree that it affects your professional image, but my problem is that he is my equal and has tried in other situations to manipulate situations to get clients from me, etc. So I don’t think confronting him in any manner would go over well.
Do you think a HR supervisor could get the annoyance part across is it futile?
I still feel guilty that things like these habits make me so unbelievably angry. Anyone have insight as to why we are so bothered?
Believe it or not, I actually worked for a company that gave warnings over things like this. It started after one woman walked around with about 4 wads in her mouth and you could always see it rolling around when she talked. Talk about discusting! I can’t believe people do these things without realized how gross it is. I see both men and women out shopping, etc. popping their gum and often wonder if they were raised in barns.
I’m intrigued by the idea that this “problem” of ours is some form of obsessive compulsive behavior as Lori wrote about. I don’t know if a doctor would take me seriously if I told her I could barely make it though my work days because of gum smacking co-workers, and I have a difficult time functioning in public. Movie theaters are out of the question. I would seriously consider medication if it were a viable solution.
It’s tough to accept this as our problem, not a problem of the people smacking aimlessly and rudely through the day. It’s difficult not to think of them as mindless inconsiderate idiots. That’s harsh, but the whole thing just makes me so angry.
I have this board marked as one of my favorites so I can check new postings. It’s nice to know there are others out there and I’m not suffering alone!
Anyone have a problem with loud chewing of ANY kind I sit next to a person who crunches her food very loudly with her mouth open - almost as if the loud crunching noise is the whole point. I am never a violent person, but loud chewing evokes a need in me to punch the chewer. It wouldn’t ever happen, but that is the extent to which I hate loud chewing of all kinds, my sister has the same issue. How does one cope with this?
I cured my co-worker’s gum popping/chomping/cracking by reading her this article!
Try it!
Hey fellow gum phobics! i dont know about you guys but this website is certainly a comfort to me. I actually see a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist about my phobia and I showed her this page. She was really pleased and said it should help normalise my fears. The problem is, and I dont know if any of you guys have it but everywhere i go i am anxious that i am gonna see someone chewing and it is sometimes really so exhausting to have to go throught this every day. Has anyone tried hypnosis? the drugs dont really work unless you are depressed. Oh well, a small bit of comfort comes in the fact that there are those new orbit sweet mint strips which the whole world might just fall in love with and dump their gum instead!!!
Love to all of you.
I agree that it IS nice to know that we aren’t alone. I wish you luck in dealing with the offenders. I too have been sensitive to these noises for quite some time. Gum popping/snapping was the first thing that I was intolerable of and from there, chips, popcorn, chewing on hard candy, cellophane wrappers, the list goes on.(Does it drive any of you nuts when someone is typing on their keyboard all too hard?)
It blows peoples minds that I can hear these things hundreds of feet away because I despise them. If you talk to those who don’t have this sensitivity (which unfortunately is just about everyone) they look at you like you are insane and tell you “tune it out” or “relax”. Meanwhile, my adrenaline rushes as if I am ready to take the offender down(!), I become tense, extremely irritable, distracted, and have to bite my tongue not to blurt out what I am thinking.
My sensitivity was always to sound only, however in my office the smell of popcorn makes me want to “get out” fast because I associate it with all of the rude, obnoxious noises. Imagine my fury when, and I am not kidding, my coworkers pop between them about 3 to 4 bags a day from morning to the end of the workday! (Amazingly, almost always burnt.) So,I wear headphones and listen to my music loudly every day just to get through. My coworkers are so used to my reaction of disgust that they think I am the crabbiest person around but it is only set off by these sounds!
While I wish that I didn’t have the sensitivity, I feel justified in thinking that these people are completely unprofessional so why must I consider leaving my job? To hopefully work someplace where it isn’t ever-present. But I know, wherever we may go, one of THEM will be there
Thanks for your posts, sorry for the lengthiness of my own post,and I look forward to reading more! Take care.
After 25 years of fighting my distaste for gum chewing, I finally have discovered all of you who feel the same way!!! It’s as helpful to me as when I made the decision a number of years ago not to condemn myself because I felt this way. It freed me, giving myself permission to feel that it’s ugly and to choose not deal with people who chew distastefully, and to mention it to people who matter to me when it bothers me.
One of the things I hate about it is that it interferes with communication. The sound of a person’s voice, their use of words and their facial expressions are so integral to meaningful conversation that when a green piece of rubber is bobbing up and down around on a slick of saliva in a person’s mouth, it ruins the conversation for me. When I’ve told friends that I would appreciate their not chewing gum while we talk so that my attention won’t be distracted and that I can participate more fully in the conversation, they have always been puzzled, but agree to stop. And I find that after the conversation and they say that they need to chew gum again, it doesn’t bother me because they gave me what I wanted and now I can reciprocate.
Looking forward to hearing more from everyone…
Like so many of you, I feel great relief to know I am not alone. After reading your posts I was prompted to send an online question to a popular self help website.
This is what I wrote:
I get so annoyed with sounds that I no longer want to go anywhere and walk around my house with earplugs in. The sounds that drive me crazy? Gum cracking, sniffling, people talking (particularly in movies), and when I’m home the sound of dogs barking or too loud music get me so angry. Granted some of these sounds are annoying to everyone, but they are ruining my life. I avoid being around people because of the former annoyances and hate being at home because of the latter. Can you help me? I am getting zero enjoyment out of my life.
-Alice
Her response:
Dear Alice:
You’re absolutely right – some of these sounds are annoying to everyone, but what you’re experiencing is way beyond that. Not only are you currently unable to shut them out, ignore them, get away from them or refocus your attention elsewhere, but the quality of your life is being actively impaired. You’re probably at the point now where your busy mind is actively looking for annoying sounds, pouncing on them when it finds them, and then agitating you further in a circular feedback loop of sensitivity/irritation.
The good news is the problem is not in the sounds. That’s the good news, because you can’t do anything about them. Even silence has a sound quality to it, after all. You’re suffering from an obsessive disorder. That’s the good news, because it can be fixed.
For this you want to go to a clinic or therapist especially geared to treat this problem, which is called an obsessive disorder, and – now, listen up to this part - someone who has prescription priveleges.
That’s because just talking about this is probably not going to break the cycle. You need medication as well. It’s very likely that your system processes seratonin way too fast for its own good, and it’s doing funny things with your brain. So you probably need to get on some SSRI – seratonin re-uptake inhibitor – meds. That’s just a guess that needs to be confirmed by a pro who can eyeball you and examine you in person. But if he or she agrees, you also need to stay on them for a while, once you find a flavor that agrees with you. This won’t go away in a matter of weeks, so don’t even go there.
Now, that’s not to say you shouldn’t be talking about this in a therapy situation too, because you need to do that as well. This condition has left you socially isolated, angry, and irritable, and maybe even a little phobic, and it may have been catalyzed by life events, traumatic stress or who knows what. It’s a chicken-egg situation, and the best way to deal with it is by addressing both the physiological and the psychological aspects at the same time.
You can also do some behavioral therapy for this as well. You can be taught to train your mind to refocus on command, with meditation or guided imagery. That will be part of any good treatment regimen anyway.
So quit focusing on the sounds. They are not the issue. Focus on your weary, accoustically overwrought self and get some help. Call your local hospital or your area psychological association or ask your internist. But get cracking – there’s no need to suffer like this.
—Anyway, just thought I would share this with you.
Thanks!
I have a problem with people cracking/popping their gum since I was 9 years old. Yesterday, I had to leave Church because a new person was sitting behing me cracking her gum. It literaly made me ill. I am beginning to think I am going to go crazy, gum chewers are everywhere, at work, at home, now at church. I cannot go to Movie theaters, if I go shopping there is always a gum cracker, I immediately have to leave. I don’t enjoy life anymore because of gum chewers. I am worried about myself. I have asked people in the past at work to please not crack their gum, they were not happy about it, and continue to crack. I need help
Thank you for letting me express myself on this subject. I truly have a gum phobia, and everyone thinks I’m crazy–except for you all!! I literally become ill at the sight, sound or even smell of the evil rubbery substance. I am tense (strangely in my groin area) helpless, wanting to cry, irritable, needing to punch whoever is the culprit. I am a college student and it is constantly around me: on the bus, in class, at the fraternity meetings, the movies, the library, etc. I have to move seats or leave. It is ruining friendships and my life in general, and I see myself becoming an old, lonely, bitter man over this. I need psychological help–and fast.
Thank you for letting me express myself on this subject. I truly have a gum phobia, and everyone thinks I’m crazy–except for you all!! I literally become ill at the sight, sound or even smell of the evil rubbery substance. I am tense (strangely in my groin area) helpless, wanting to cry, irritable, needing to punch whoever is the culprit. I am a college student and it is constantly around me: on the bus, in class, at the fraternity meetings, the movies, the library, etc. I have to move seats or leave. It is ruining friendships and my life in general, and I see myself becoming an old, lonely, bitter man over this. I need psychological help–and fast.
thank goodness i’m not as crazy as i thought i was…i can relate to every aspect of what everbody here has said, and it has been quite therapeutic. i’m currently looking for help. Meanwhile, i feel like my people skills and friendships are falling apart over this matter. i wish gum were never invented–why not have a mint instead?
I don’t know how to express how wonderful it feels to read all your comments and realize that I am not alone. I have always been hypersensitive to noises, in particular mouth and nose noises (including gum chewing), to the point that I feel enraged. But what can I do? Most people don’t even hear the noises I do and I can’t stop people from making noises of which they are not aware. It is to the point that I can’t study in libraries as I am highly attuned to any small noises that occur. And recently I have begun being bothered by the breathing (can you imagine!) of my boyfriend! This hypersensitivy is deeply affecting my life and I have actually been wondering if it were not obsessive-compulsive (so a few of the previous comments were of particular interest to me) or misophonia. I have an appointment with a doctor and I hope to god something can be done. I can’t even sleep with my partner. I am really lucky however because my partner and I have great communication and I have been able to share a bit of what I am going through, (even though I know I can’t ask him to stop breathing! ha ha!)and he has been generally quite supportive although I am not sure if he fully grasps the extent to which I anticipate and am annoyed by eating & breathing noises… What am I going to do when I have children and they are sick and begin sniffling and breathing heavily? I can’t live in my room for the rest of my life and I know that I can’t get away from these noises - almost everyone makes noises of some sort or another. It is a real relief to realize I am not alone. Good luck and courage to you all.
Hi all gum- haters! Just thought I’d say hello and wish you well. Not a day, nor an hour goes by without me thinking about people chewing, wondering when someone around me is gonna start, wondering when they are gonna stop. My phobia definitely has an emotional core-I have a bad relationship with my mother and she mentally abused me as a child so I was always on edge around her and then i began to notice she made annoying mouth noises. I do believe that this is what maybe influenced my gum chewing phobia. It is the relentlessness of the movement and the fact that I cant control it or make it stop. I guess it reminds me of being a helpless kid again. I know all of this seems very “Oprah” but i was wondering if it may be useful for you guys to know my experience. One friend recommended that I make a video of people chewing and watch it every day to desensitise myself and it does help a bit. As for the notion that what we have is OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder, I think), I would disagree. I just dont think its that simple. Also, was wondering if any of you have found that your social lives have suffered and that you tend to avoid going out to certain “chewing places” and whether you are affected even by seeing someone chewing on tv.
I would be really pleased to know what you think.
All my best wishes
Sarah x
Sarah, Thank you for sharing what must be a very difficult experience with all of us. One point that you stated really rang home with me, one that I hadn’t thought of. I am, admittedly, a control freak and have a difficult time with events that I can’t control. I’ll have to ponder its correlation with my gum phobia. To answer your question, this definitely puts a crimp on my social life. Ironically, I have an extremely difficult time hearing in areas where there are many people (bars, dances, etc.)so if I want to socialize, I am forced to do so in small settings where I am more apt to encounter annoying “chewers” on a more personal level. Unfortunately these are the settings that one definitely appears rude if you have to leave. I know which people I can agree to go out with and where I can go to with them based on their eating and noisemaking habits, (yes I know I’m bizzare). Thank God I have an understanding husband (who I could kill on days when he is chewing on his fingernails, which is probably due to putting up with such an analretentive wife!). And yes, I change the channel right away if someone is eating or chewing in a disgusting manner on television. Well I said my (long winded) piece. If anything, this is definitely cathartic. Here’s to a very quiet day to all of you. -Lori
I feel quite safe with this board. I understand everything! I have been dodging “gummy” bears as I call them for about 8 years now. I loved gum when I was younger. My father hated it when others chewed, but he chewed a half a stick a day. I don’t understand it. One day, I was in the car with my mom and she was chomping on her gum. I couldn’t take it. I asked her to stop and she chewed a little louder at first. But soon she spit it out. Since then I can’t chew it or sit next to someone with it. I am tired of dealing with this issue. Everytime I tell someone to stop the “smacking” they apologize and keep chewing. At work, there are two people who constantly sit next to me. One has the long, slow chew. (In which she chews all day long). And the other will smack, pop and look back at me. It will take her 5 seconds, to say ” Oh, I’m sorry. I really am being as quiet as I can. I forgot”. It is getting worse! I hate it even when they are not chewing it loudly. I can’t stop looking at that disgusting disposition of the jaw as it tries to quietly pop and squish gum. All of this, while smelling a deep cloud of cold, peppermint gum. I hate it–the entire aura the smell, the sight, and that god awful sound. That’s why it’s comforting to me, that there are others who can hone in on a “gummy” bear or two. No one else takes you seriously when you tell them you can HEAR the smacking. I am seriously considering some hypnotherapy. I would like to completely abandon my memory of the gum popping/cracking/smacking/squishing forever!!!! It is truly driving me nuts!!
I feel quite safe with this board. I understand everything! I have been dodging “gummy” bears as I call them for about 8 years now. I loved gum when I was younger. My father hated it when others chewed, but he chewed a half a stick a day. I don’t understand it. One day, I was in the car with my mom and she was chomping on her gum. I couldn’t take it. I asked her to stop and she chewed a little louder at first. But soon she spit it out. Since then I can’t chew it or sit next to someone with it. I am tired of dealing with this issue. Everytime I tell someone to stop the “smacking” they apologize and keep chewing. At work, there are two people who constantly sit next to me. One has the long, slow chew. (In which she chews all day long). And the other will smack, pop and look back at me. It will take her 5 seconds, to say ” Oh, I’m sorry. I really am being as quiet as I can. I forgot”. It is getting worse! I hate it even when they are not chewing it loudly. I can’t stop looking at that disgusting disposition of the jaw as it tries to quietly pop and squish gum. All of this, while smelling a deep cloud of cold, peppermint gum. I hate it–the entire aura the smell, the sight, and that god awful sound. That’s why it’s comforting to me, that there are others who can hone in on a “gummy” bear or two. No one else takes you seriously when you tell them you can HEAR the smacking. I am seriously considering some hypnotherapy. I would like to completely abandon my memory of the gum popping/cracking/smacking/squishing forever!!!! It is truly driving me nuts!!
Let me know if you have any joy with the hypnotherapy Elisa! Just wondering if anyonw else feels guilty about this phobia? I mean, every time you have to ask an offender to stop, doesnt it just make you feel like shit? You just feel like the most ridiculous, unreasonable person in the universe, yet anti-smoking nazis are far worse than us, guys, you’d better believe it!!!
You’re so right about the smoke nazis. I’d much rather deal with a smoker than a gum chewer. It’d be great if you couldn’t chew gum at work or in a public place. Imagine “NO GUM” signs everywhere, gum chewers hoovering around outside the door chewing frantically on their ‘gum’ break.
I never work up the courage to ask the offender to stop. I’ve tried dropping hints to my main offender, like mentioning that my boyfriend was eating a sucker one day and I couldn’t take the noise so I asked him if I could have a lick and proceeded to let the dog have a few licks instead. I would think that’s a pretty good hint..the sucking of a sucker is similar to the smacking of gum, kinda…right? To no avail…hint flew right over offending co-workers head. I’ve asked my boss to say something, but he won’t. He said he’s noticed it, but it doesn’t bother him. If I ever did work up the courage to say something I can imagine that I would feel dumb. I envision the response being “I’ve been chewing gum my whole life, no one else has ever said anything.” Like my annoyance of her constant chomping is wrong.
At times I feel a twinge of guilt, as I often wish TMJ on her. Not that I want her in pain, I just want her to STOP. I don’t understand how someone can chomp their whole damn life, (and she’s in her 50’s) like this and not have jaw problems and not have someone, just once, say something about how disgusting it is and unprofessional it is at work.
Elisa, I too must turn off the TV whenever a gum-chewer is on the scene (Matt Damon in “Ocean’s 11″ for example!) Also, I can’t stand it even when people are chewing with their mouths CLOSED! As you described it, “that disgusting disposition of the jaw,” a jaw with teeth and saliva that nevertheless produce ‘gum squishes’ when closed–and more intensely at that, echoing between the cheeks and off the roof of the mouth. While at the theater, my peripheral vision targets the movement of any mouth and I have to use my hand as a shield at the side of my face to stop the misery! It is very much a control problem for me too. Best of luck to yall.
airplanes, airports, church, theaters
1) put tissue paper in your ears
2) chew gum yourself (be courtious)
3) ask the b if they could plz
chew quietly
4) express your emotion by facial
expression
5) passively live in torment
6) if I’m feeling great, energised, and focused out from myself, it doesn’t bother me at all.
I also had an anger toward my mother. The rooted rejection came out as bitterness to her mouth noises. If
Froyd was only still alive. DE
Television is aware of this problem. You usually only see an actor chewing gum if they are portraying a prostitute or a deralect. Gum commercials always edit to a different picture after the actor puts the gum in their mouth. They never show chewing.
I think the republicans are considering legislation.
I was so suprised to find this board!! As with all of you I thought I was the only one with this problem. My highly sensitive ears pick up the tiniest (sp) mouth and nose noises, coins clinking together in pockets, etc. And it is making my life miserable. My marriage is even in trouble because my husband just doesn’t beleive I can hear the sounds and he thinks I’m ‘not normal.’ He says he wants a divorce because of my constant ‘picking’ on him. My life has become unbearable and I have come to the conclusion that I have only two choices. I can live alone and closed up in a room by myself or I can end my life. I don’t want to live without my husband or alone, so what does that leave? I cry all the time now because I just can’t live like this. Always wondering if I am going encounter those horrible noises. Even my family doesn’t understand. Who could, who hasn’t lived like this?
This message is for Linda. Do not despair so my friend. You certainly have more options than the two you listed above. Remember that you are not alone on this!! Many of us share your pain in living with highly sensitive ears. You have to force yourself to live on happily and try to get away from the noises. Some things that work for me: ear plugs, fans & music & radio for back ground noise, telling people when the noises they are making bother me. Maybe your husband can read these postings and understand that maybe the normal majority of people are not bothered by these noises, but many others definately pick up these sounds and it makes life tough for us. Others should be more understanding that some noises they create does in fact bother some people. No getting around it. Here’s to a happy and healthy tomorrow! :o) Do not, do not, do not give up so easily! You can live with victory.
This is an addendum to my [Linda's] post and response to Barb.
I realized after I posted my comment that I had left an important part of my message off. I thought I had written it, but I guess I didn’t. I have too much I want to do in my life to end it. I just wish I could. I always want to know what is going to happen tomorrow. But, I find it almost impossible to understand why there are so many mean people out there. When ever I DO speak up, I get responses like ‘Just live with it’ or ‘Just don’t let it bother you’ or ‘Why are you so touchy?’ Or they tell ME I am rude when I speak up. My husband is sick and tired of this ‘handicap’, although he just sees it as bad behavior on my part. I think I will try the earplugs. That may be a start. I did have counceling and she gave me antidepressents, but they really haven’t worked on this problem. The irony is that my therapist has the SAME problem!!! (with the gum)I haven’t seen her in several years because she moved away. I don’t know if any of you feel this way, but I find it completely demoralizing to admit to this affliction. It is like I have a dirty little secret and if I share it with someone I feel ashamed and very vulnerable. I appeciate all of you and am glad to finally have someone I can share with that understands. Good luck to all.
I think we’ve all shared that feeling of guilt or, “I must be a freak”, at some point or another, because of this silly sensitivity to certain sounds. I know I did at the time I vented my frustration to the world, via this site.
However, seeing that so many people share this affliction, to varying degrees of intensity, I no longer hesitate to tell people, “if you can’t chew your gum without all of us having to endure your disgusting mouth noises, stop chewing the gum.” I no longer worry about the reaction this gets, my sanity is worth more to me than their affection.
Linda,
I’m not sure what kind of advice I can give you, except that you need to stop blaming yourself for a condition you’ve played no part in creating. Also, I think you need to seek out additional professional help. I doubt this “sound sensitivity syndrome” is something well understood, so you may need to see several doctors before finding a treatment that works for you. Just don’t give up.
-phil
In response to Linda’s post:
It is a delibitating affliction and unless someone has it, they’re probably not going to understand it. Seems like most problems that are “mental” and not measurable are looked upon as a weakness rather than an legit problem. We’re supposed to “just stop”, “don’t listen for it”, “just ignore it”. Maybe an analogy would help one understand. Most people have some kind of pet peeve and if it’s a “noise” pet peeve it may help. Like someone being irritated by a lawn mower running, basketball pounding, vaccuum cleaner roaring, lots of kids playing in the pool hollering…ask them to image that pet peeve presenting itself several times daily (or constantly for some of us with the rude clueless co-workers. Don’t get me started, she’s chomping that damn gum it as I type this. Ick, that slimy little blob floating around in her mouth when she talks, then the mouth open chomping when she’s not talking. The wafting of spearmint odor, so disgusting..and we’re the ones with a “problem”) Anyway, if you can at least get some kind of connection maybe it would help him understand.
Response to RM
Almost NOTHING bothers my husband BUT me! Snoring does, but he deals with it. He doesn’t understand an analogy because things just aren’t that intense for him. HOWEVER….I have told him about how things bother me, but he just didn’t get it until now! I asked him to read this board and because he needs confirmation from other sources for anything I tell him, he got it from all of you. I took a personal risk writing to this board and showing it to him, but it paid off. I know we have a long way to go, but at least I have some peace at home for now. I am going to see a ear doctor for starters and use ear plugs and we are going to counseling. I want to thank all of those here who shared their pain and suggestions. It saved my marriage. Another thing. I used to work in offices with gum poppers and I know what you are going through. IT is impossible to live with 8 hours a day of insenitive nasty people. Having to stand in line front of them or sit in a movie (DONT anymore). I will continue to watch this board and hope we can find a ‘Cure’ for this. HEY RM if I could, I would go to your office and pop her right in the mouth for you!!!
What is this really called?
I don’t want to feel like a cliche on this board, but thank god I have found other people like me - I have often felt ashamed, embarrased, ‘not normal’ and consequently the only people that know is my partner and 1 close friend.
I live in Edinburgh and also suffer from this - with me, a complete wave of irrationability comes over me whenever someone eats around me, I don’t have to see them (though the whole jaw moving thing exacerbates me more) but the noise enough feels like mental torture - I really just want to smack them hard and in my mind I am swearing all kinds of unkind thoughts at them! (I am a placid person by nature).
This board has helped me regain some of my sanity, at the very least given me strength in knowing that the intense feelings of anger, shame, disgust (at the perpetrators and me!) and fear (of being in situations whenever friends come round with food or sitting on a bus forcing to hear someone eat crisps! etc. scream!!!) I feel does not make me alone - THANK YOU ALL OF YOU.
I have read the postings here about Obsessive Compulsive Disorders - but given human nature to try to ‘label’ every single thing - is there not a proper term that has been defined for this? Or indeed any links to any medical help / definitions would really be appreciated.
I’m not sure how common this is and before I feel brave enough to talk to my GP about this I would like to able to provide as much information / other people’s experiences as possible - indeed I do not even know how much awareness of this there is in the UK and whether or not I would be taken seriously.
What is this really called?
I don’t want to feel like a cliche on this board, but thank god I have found other people like me - I have often felt ashamed, embarrased, ‘not normal’ and consequently the only people that know is my partner and 1 close friend.
I live in Edinburgh and also suffer from this - with me, a complete wave of irrationability comes over me whenever someone eats around me, I don’t have to see them (though the whole jaw moving thing exacerbates me more) but the noise enough feels like mental torture - I really just want to smack them hard and in my mind I am swearing all kinds of unkind thoughts at them! (I am a placid person by nature).
This board has helped me regain some of my sanity, at the very least given me strength in knowing that the intense feelings of anger, shame, disgust (at the perpetrators and me!) and fear (of being in situations whenever friends come round with food or sitting on a bus forcing to hear someone eat crisps! etc. scream!!!) I feel does not make me alone - THANK YOU ALL OF YOU.
I have read the postings here about Obsessive Compulsive Disorders - but given human nature to try to ‘label’ every single thing - is there not a proper term that has been defined for this? Or indeed any links to any medical help / definitions would really be appreciated.
I’m not sure how common this is and before I feel brave enough to talk to my GP about this I would like to able to provide as much information / other people’s experiences as possible - indeed I do not even know how much awareness of this there is in the UK and whether or not I would be taken seriously.
On Hypnosis, etc.:
Long story short: I am going mad…I, unfortunately, understand every comment that has been made. While we are all planning evil plots of revenge against the gum chewers, I thought I might throw in a few thoughts regarding hypnosis. This problem has made me ill with nausea for several years. The very thought of gum is enough to cramp me up. Around 8 years ago, I decided to be hypnotized…for $45 I underwent this one-time therapy session (including an everyday relaxation tape) as a last-resort for my ear (and stomach) pain. When I explained my affliction to gum noise to the hypnotist, she was at first concerned that she couldn’t help me. However, in this one session, she revealed that the problem was rooted in dislike for my step-father (he made terrible mouth noises, had a fat tongue, and he looked like a chameleon). I never had thought of it before, and for a while her suggestions worked. In the session, she had me focus on a red stop sign every time I heard the noise. Every time I saw the color red, I was supposed to relax. Honestly, it really worked for a few months. Unfortunately I never returned because I was broke. I strongly feel that repeated hypnotic treatment would work to eliminate this mental block we all suffer from. It is really all mental; the mind is so powerful, which is why gum bothers us so much in the first place. We cannot control gum chewing. But, we can control how we respond to the gum cows. Believe me, if it were easy, I’d be cured. I am going to start meditating on it every day for 15 minutes, to train my mind to calm itself when faced with an ignorant co-worker or passerby. I realize that this is the only hope we have, and EVERYONE on this board should go see a hypnotist asap, including myself. It may not work at first, but keep at it. Tell me your progress. Thanks!
I HAVE FOUND MY PEOPLE! I love this site. For as long as I can remember I have been “noise sensitive” to everything…gum snappers, people who SUCK their gum, the sound of saliva in people’s mouth’s as they eat, pocket change jinglers, snorers, mouth smackers, loud keyboard typers, lawn mowers, basketballs bouncing endlessly, etc.
I am so crazed that I used to carry ear plugs with me at all times in case I was in the presence of noises that annoyed me. At work I cannot wear earplugs so I have a fan that I turn on whenever I hear a gum snapper in the distance, a popcorn eater, or a large group of people opening their soda cans! UGH!
Last night I said to my husband that I needed to look online for a support group because I am going crazy. Sometimes I feel I’m the only person who can hear or see the noises people make. Thank God my husband can see and hear what I do. However, he seems to have more patience than I do.
I barely enjoy going to the movies for fear that I will be sitting next to a snapper, an eater, or a candy bag opener. My husband is also noise sensitive (but not to my extent) so he is more than happy to move to different seats in the theatre to avoid noises. Getting on an airplane is equally disturbing to me. I spend so much time worrying that even if everything is quiet that suddenly I’ll hear that lovely little crumple of paper and a stick of gum going into someone’s mouth.
I nearly come out of my skin if a gum snapper is behind me in line at a store. I literally burn holes through them with my evil stare.
Again, thanks for sharing your stories. I appreciate knowing I’m not the only one with this condition.
i tottally agree with MIke Wilson. I suffer with this too. I find the noise of people eating food and crunching crisps etc absolutely unbearable, i’m fine with other noises its just eating, crunching,chewing, it sends me into an almost uncontrollable rage. I have often thought that it must be a known condition of some kind, as the level of irritation is so high, but i havent been able to find out any further information.?
I too suffer from the mouth noises problem. Although I have to say it has eased slightly with age (possibly because I can choose where I am more now). I think the condition is hereditry as my brother is the only other person I know who also suffers from it.
I don’t just find it annoying but infuriating to the point where I have worried that I might physically assualt somebody. Although so far I have only managed to assault myself by punching myself particularly hard in the forehead whilst I was trapped in the cinema with somebody guzzling popcorn behind me.
The probelm is it is so irrational that it is very difficult to mention it to anybody and most people find it difficult to understand why you would even find it annoying - let alone wanting to kill them. I find mentioning it to people is no good anyway - they may stop for a bit but because it is of such little relevance to them they are soon back to munching crisps, chewing gum and sucking the life out of boiled sweets in your ear.
I have thought maybe its some age old reaction. Perhaps when we were more like animals it was desirable to get an overwhelming rage when somebody else was eating so you could beat the shit of them and pinch their food. Unfortunately i don’t think thats acceptable in todays society.
Thank you so much for giving me a laugh in my day! If I didn’t stumble across this board, I may have ripped the teeth out of my co-worker, as she is currently cracking her gum and it feels like a pin sticking in my ear.
I have casually mentioned to her that I can hear her cracking all the way over at my desk, and her only reply was ‘yeah, I know it’s a bad habit.’ Acknowledging a bad habit does not make it okay!
Well, until I change my job or her teeth fall out, I will at least have this post to keep me sane.
Amazing. I had no idea there were so many people like me…. As soon as I hear gum-cracking, my ears automatically attune to it and I find myself WAITING for it to happen again. There is no way I can possibly block it out. I’ll sit through an entire movie in the theatre so mad that I can’t even focus on the movie itself…. The only time I’ve ever said anything to the offender was recently at work. It happened to be a guy who was trying to quit smoking, so he constantly was chewing Nicorette or something like it. He was on my team (I was his boss). I had always had a good work-relationship with my whole team, and he was no exception. I opted for the sarcastic approach. Every time I heard him crack, I’d ask him if the gum was good. When he said yes, I’d tell him that I knew it was good, because I was enjoying it too. He caught on, and it would stop…. for awhile.
Hang in there everyone. Until they start a gum-free state for us all to move to, we’ll just have to try not to go insane!
Wow, glad I found this board I was starting to believe I really was alone on this.
For me its more crunching sounds, chips, popcorn and such. My mum has a habit of chewing ice. I confronted her about it and she trys to not do it around me now, but she reacted as if I was overreacting. When she does it, I can hear it from over 100 feet away, through walls, in a crowded room. I’m just totaly attuned to the noise of it.
Then there’s my dad, he has a habit of mouth breathing and chewing with his mouth open. It gets me absolutely sick to my stomach when i see/hear it or even start to think about it.
It’s bothering me more and more as time goes on, I pick up on more sounds, from more sources and am starting to get very violent thoughts when I’m exposed to the stimuli. (to the point where I feel I want to kill the person making the offending noise).
I’ve searched far and wide all over the internet, and the only places I’ve found anything on this “disorder” is this board, a site about OCD, a small post about someone with add, and a support group for people with schizio personality disorder. I don’t meet any of the other symptoms of the above listed things, so i’ve ruled those out.
This board does lead me to believe that this is its own unique mental illness of some sort.
The post about the person with ADD (found here: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020628/msgs/111115.html )
said that Dexedrine helped with this, so I’m comforted that there is possible medication out there that can help.
I plan on seeing a doctor about this soon.
I just emailed our meeting moderator and asked him politely to dispose of his chewing gum before starting a meeting. For 75 minutes this morning, he moderated a meeting while happily chomping his gum with his mouth open like a blubbering idiot. I’ll let you know if he replies to my message, but I suspect he will take the message with a grain of salt.
Gum-chomping and other mouth noises drive me crazy. It’s gotten to the point that I simply refuse to eat meals with certain people because they are open-mouth eaters. Even my parents are offensive eaters, and so I was glad to drop them off the airport after a week of their chowing down.
My cousin is even worse when he slurps popsicles. Bite the god-damned popsicle already and suck on it with your mouth closed until it melts! Sheesh.
A non-mouth noise that really aggravates me is the pen clicking. Click it once to write and, when you put it away, click it once to close it. Stop the incessant clicking of the pin. These nervous people need to find an appropriate outlet for their insecurities.
The pocked coin clinging is another one. Leave the coins in a jar at home! I had a music professor who would jingle his change in his pocket while playing music for us to analyze. I couldn’t hear the music over his coins!
I’m glad someone else mentioned whistling. I hate whistlers. Why are they so happy anyway? Just shut up and go on with to-do list. I call them “canaries” to myself. They’re always off-tune and sound just awful.
Someone also mentioned snifflers. Blow your nose already, take Sudafed, go to the doctor, do something with the sniffles. I also despise the nose-whistlers, who have some kind of impediment in their nose canal and when they breath, they whistle. Blow out the obstruction already!!!!
Thank goodness I am not the only obsessive compulsive person offended by the dirty habits of others.
I am so glad I found you all. I don’t even know where to begin. Every now and then I have managed to find a blurb on the internet, mirroring my own feelings toward noises, specifically chewing gum/popping/smacking. For years I have felt like I am losing my mind. I don’t want to go on medication. I don’t want to end up with a glazed over ‘dumb’ look. At work, things are finally pretty good. I’m in a semi-private area. The pen-clicker got transferred. The ‘hummer/gum-popper’ moved cubicles. So, I’m sitting pretty. However, my main concern for the past several years has been my sister. She constantly chews and pops her gum. CONSTANTLY. And she always has this dumb grin on her face and she’s always ‘going for’ the pop. You know that look — the one where they are TRYING to pop the gum. Additionally, I am African American. I know there are poppers in every culture, put, darnit, if every AA woman I know isn’t popping her gum!!!!!! I am considering hypnosis. I’d like to hear more feedback from some other posters. I only go to movie matinees. You can strategically sit farthest from the poppers. If a popper is standing behind me in line, I leave the line and shop some more! The sound of gum-popping and smacking makes me angry!!!! I have been asking my sister for decades to stop and I always say please. Now that we are adults, I have just chosen not to be around her. But it takes work. I’m constantly strategizing how to avoid the popping. I don’t invite her to my home because when she leaves her house, she’s always chomping/popping. When I go to her home, she’s not chewing. But if things get quiet, she goes for the gum. I grab my bag to ’suddenly’ leave. She has no idea why, even after so many years. And if she suspects it’s the gum, then she will chew louder and pop pop pop and say ‘You ain’t ’bout to tell me I can’t chew gum up here in my house!!!” Ghetto b. Whew!!!!!!! I feel better now. Nice to know I’m not alone!!!!!
hi T-girl- just read your message and i gotta say- you really need to tell your sister. You will feel SOOOO much better if you do.I told my family about my problem and now they no longer chew gum around me. Its that simple. You must realise that if you dont say anything to her you may end up avoiding her and that would be terrible. Plus she will probably be pleased to find out that all you have is a phobia and that you’re not just permanently cranky- your walking out of her house at bizarre moments doesnt go unnoticed I’m sure. I have tried hypnotherapy but I am not sure that it works just yet. If the phobia is making you depressed then anti-depressants do help but that is not a decision to enter into lightly. If it helps, I feel exactly the same way as you so you r definitely not alone. I’m sure there are hundreds of us gum haters out there. all the best, sarah
What a comfort it is to have happened upon this community! I have always felt like an outsider for harboring such intense feelings of hatred for people who create unnecessary noise (i.e., gum chewing). I LOATHE it with a passion. I am sensitive to noise, in general. Even as I write this, I am cringing somewhat at the sound of the typing. (I try to press very lightly, though). It is nice to know that I am not alone in feeling this way. I, too, have felt enormous feelings of rage that have brought me close to tears, There have been times when I have just had to leave the dinner table, a room, whatever..
I am on Prozac. I’ve been all sorts of anti-depressants, but none seems to help. I have had anorexia and bulimia for the past seven years and have, therefore, been told by therapists that my irritability and hyper-sensitivity is caused by my malnourished state. However, I disagree. I have been this way as long as I can remember. Taking a test in school was always quite an ordeal. I NEVER could concentrate because of my desire to HARM the gum popper sitting beside me.
Oh dear, it is rather cathartic to vent such feelings. Thank you for letting me share.