I've talked about needing silence before. At first, this need was just to eliminate the unwanted outside world noises, so it could include listening to music as that is a very effective way of doing this, especially if you also have ANC built-in. But over the last few months, I haven't listened to music outside at all, preferring as much actual silence as I can get. And the more silence I get, the more I like it. I have no problem hearing the wind, or other nature sounds, and yet often when I'm in nature, my earplugs are still in. Even when it comes to changing from my reusable daily earplugs, to night-time disposable ones, I have to do it really quickly, lest too much external noise should make its way in for too long. Is this some kind of OCD?
There are times when there are things I'd like to watch. Of course I use ear buds for that. But often I choose not to watch anything, just because it would mean removing my very comfortable earplugs which have been providing me with silence all day. So a side effect is I watch a lot less. I only ever watch good documentaries, youtube, or a decent film, anyway, but now I find I watch a lot less because they're just not as good as silence. I read more.
Obviously it's not possible to eliminate external noise entirely. But I do come close to it sometimes. Certainly traffic noise can be all but eliminated within the house. While the noises of the others I live around, banging doors, etc, still make their way in, but they are muted enough that they are no longer affecting. Does this indicate developing mental health issues? Or is it simply I have found a very effective coping mechanism which many people use daily for various reasons? Sleeping next to a snoring partner becomes possible with earplugs. Eliminating the noisy neighbour becomes possible with earplugs.
But I know I take it a lot further than most. For example, when I go to pick up a package from an Amazon drop-off point, I don't take my earplugs out. I can deal with everything in the silence, just as if I was hard of hearing. I've got used to it. If I focus on what somebody is saying, the combination of a bit of lip reading and a small amount of audible getting through, it works fine. I often forget I am "hard of hearing" intentionally. There is simply too much sensory input, even naturally, otherwise, without them.
Not that it matters, but I'm not sure if it's preference or necessity. I know people here use earplugs for similar reasons, in different situations. Does anybody else wear earplugs more than they don't?
There are times when there are things I'd like to watch. Of course I use ear buds for that. But often I choose not to watch anything, just because it would mean removing my very comfortable earplugs which have been providing me with silence all day. So a side effect is I watch a lot less. I only ever watch good documentaries, youtube, or a decent film, anyway, but now I find I watch a lot less because they're just not as good as silence. I read more.
Obviously it's not possible to eliminate external noise entirely. But I do come close to it sometimes. Certainly traffic noise can be all but eliminated within the house. While the noises of the others I live around, banging doors, etc, still make their way in, but they are muted enough that they are no longer affecting. Does this indicate developing mental health issues? Or is it simply I have found a very effective coping mechanism which many people use daily for various reasons? Sleeping next to a snoring partner becomes possible with earplugs. Eliminating the noisy neighbour becomes possible with earplugs.
But I know I take it a lot further than most. For example, when I go to pick up a package from an Amazon drop-off point, I don't take my earplugs out. I can deal with everything in the silence, just as if I was hard of hearing. I've got used to it. If I focus on what somebody is saying, the combination of a bit of lip reading and a small amount of audible getting through, it works fine. I often forget I am "hard of hearing" intentionally. There is simply too much sensory input, even naturally, otherwise, without them.
Not that it matters, but I'm not sure if it's preference or necessity. I know people here use earplugs for similar reasons, in different situations. Does anybody else wear earplugs more than they don't?