A letter to those living with pain Hyperacusis

I am writing this to anyone who experiences physical pain from sounds. I want you to know that you are not crazy and that the pain is not “all in your head.” You have likely been told this many times in many different ways by medical professionals and friends family members and people in your community.

You are the only one inside your body and you are the only one who experiences your pain. You deserve to be believed and taken seriously by medical professionals friends family members and people in your community.

 You have a right to live a pain-free life, and you should never be forced into a situation that is physically painful. I know that dealing with the pain every day and having to constantly fight to get the noise accommodations that you need can be miserable. I understand what it’s like to be forced to do something that causes you physical pain against your will.

Sometimes it just becomes too much and you just can’t handle it anymore can’t handle the pain can’t handle the disbelief can’t handle the lack of accommodations.  Everyone thinks that you just need to expose yourself to sound and desensitize but this only makes the pain and the Hyperacusis worse. They have you do therapy but the therapists think that Hyperacusis is psychological and that you just need to get over your fear of sound.

There is so little research done on your condition that you barely have any proof or evidence to show anyone that you are in physical pain and exposure is necessarily the right answer. You likely don’t even know anyone else who has your condition end it feels like no one understands or can relate.

I want you to know though there are other people like you other people who experience physical pain from sounds. Continue to fight, continue to research, and continue to try to educate your medical professionals friends family and community about Hyperacusis. You may not know it now but you’re simple existence is helping to educate and raise awareness about Hyperacusis to make things better for those who come after you.