stressed out by hearing other peoples conversations.

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Lukeda420
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20 Oct 2015, 8:43 am

This mostly happens to me at work. I sit in a cubicle in a room with about 10-15 other people in it.
Every so often the person next to me will get into a conversation with someone. They're usually pretty quiet but it still drives me crazy. I start feeling very frustrated and irritable. It's such a small thing but it has a huge effect on me. Sometimes the conversation can last up to a half hour and I just sit fidgeting in my chair getting more and more uncomfortable. The worst is when people suddenly start laughing. It's terrible.

There's nothing I can do and it would be weird if I said something because what they're doing is perfectly normal. So I was just wondering if anyone else is bothered by these kinds of things.



gamerdad
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20 Oct 2015, 9:27 am

Yeah, I have problems concentrating when there are overly loud conversations going on around me too (though thankfully I don't have to work in a cubicle). I typically manage by putting in my headphones and turning on a white noise app on my phone.



kraftiekortie
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20 Oct 2015, 9:29 am

Yep...put on your headphones. That's the best approach.

They would find it ridiculous if you point out that their conversation bothers you.



Lukeda420
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20 Oct 2015, 9:41 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
They would find it ridiculous if you point out that their conversation bothers you.


I feel this way about a lot of things. In some ways it's a good thing because it causes me to think about what the other person is experiencing before I complain.

Some examples,
People walking slightly slower in front of me.

People asking me what I got for lunch.

People commenting when I get a haircut.

People tapping my shoulder to get my attention.

There's more but I can't think of it right now. But yeah, I think it would be ridiculous if I complained about any one of those things.



kraftiekortie
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20 Oct 2015, 9:46 am

The good thing is: there are ways to get around at least some of the things you mentioned.

Just walk on ahead of the person walking slowly, for example.

With the haircut comment, just say "thanks" and leave it at that.

The lunch thing and the tapping of the shoulders are somewhat problematic--but not unsolveable. Is it hard to say what you've got for lunch? I'm thinking you think it's none of their business.

I don't like somebody tapping me on the shoulder for attention, either. But it happens, alas! You've got to deal with it.



redrobin62
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20 Oct 2015, 9:55 am

I can't just will myself to "turn off" the world. If some people can, fine. I wish I was one of those people. In the past I drank like a fish to deal with the noise & stressors of my jobs, but now that I don't drink and the world seems "turned up" again, I find it's just better to walk away. Of course, I don't work anymore, so it remains to be seen if the new me can tolerate an office environment.



Lukeda420
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20 Oct 2015, 9:59 am

The lunch thing is just more of that small talk. I feel self conscious about telling people what I'm eating for some reason and I just feel like they don't really care. I know it's ridiculous but that's how it is.

But anyway you're right. We just have to deal with these things sometimes. It's actually kind of funny when it's not driving me up a wall. :lol:



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20 Oct 2015, 11:30 am

Lukeda420 wrote:
The lunch thing is just more of that small talk. I feel self conscious about telling people what I'm eating for some reason and I just feel like they don't really care. I know it's ridiculous but that's how it is.

But anyway you're right. We just have to deal with these things sometimes. It's actually kind of funny when it's not driving me up a wall. :lol:


I feel that way when people ask me what I'm reading. I don't feel like it's their business, and I don't want to tell them. Who knows what kind of reaction they will have. So I give them a brief/half answer and try to end the discussion or get away from the person before they start asking what it's about, etc.