10 Noises That Drive Me Mad

According to a study published in Noise and Health Journal, "Very long term exposure to noise may adversely affect mental and physical health," (Smith, Baranski, Thompson, Abel, 2003, p 15).


Today's theme for Monday Listicles, Noises that Drive Us Mad, is one we should carefully consider.  Let's be sure to remove these noises from our environments so that we are mentally and physically healthy, happy bloggers.

10 Sounds that Drive Me Mad

1. The television on when no one is watching it. 

2. My three Chihuahuas barking at the mail carrier.  Every day.  Same time.  You would think they would remember.

3. The sound of a can of beer being opened.   A sweet and refreshing sound to some.  But to me, it signifies uncertainty:  Will this be an angry and scary drunk?  A happy won’t stop talking drunk?  A leave the house and don’t tell anyone where you’re going drunk?

4. Cars screeching to a halt at the stop sign at the end of my street.  It’s a 25 mile per hour zone, people!  And my kids use that crosswalk.

5. My alarm in the morning.  I have changed the ring tone several times.  Even the most pleasant sound is annoying upon waking in the morning.

6. That awful sigh one gives when they are being passive aggressive.  Just say what’s on your mind.  Please.

7. My daughter stomping up the stairs when she’s angry.

8. My daughter slamming the door when she’s angry.

9. That mysterious bump in the night that I only hear when I am home alone.

10. The sound that drives me completely mad and sends me into a full-blown panic attack, is the sound of a dentist’s drill.  I can’t even think about it.  I start shaking.

On the other side of the argument is that if a sound can make us grumpy, inevitably a sound can make us happy.  And because I'm right in the middle of a big, stinking, mental health funk, I thought it would be wise to identify those sounds that evoke pleasant thoughts.

Sounds that make me happy

The sound of my daughters’ voices—talking, laughing, squealing, complaining, and especially saying, “I love you, Mommy.”

The birds that sing to me in the morning.  Yes, they are singing to me.  They told me so.

Music.  Any music with the exception of that genre of rock that is played at high speed with little song structure and shouting scary vocals.

The sound of the doorbell when my daughters are coming home from their dads.

Now, tell me, when you are sad or mad, or simply down in the dumps, what sound makes you feel a little lighter?

photo credit: gelund via photo pin cc

photo credit: Rana X. via photo pin cc

Reference

Smith, D.G., Baranski J.V., Thompson, M.M., Abel, S.M. (2003). The effects of background noise on      
          cognitive performance during a 70 hour simulation of conditions aboard the International Space 
          Station. Noise and Health, 6(21). Retrieved from  http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?

          issn=1463-1741;year=2003;volume=6;issue=21;spage=3;epage=16;aulast=Smith