Fireworks + AS = ?

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For those of you in the United States, I'm just curious about how you are reacting to/dealing with the sensory issues involved with fireworks.

I am completely unnerved by fireworks. I feel like a nervous puppy, freaking out over all the terrifying BOOM noises. I just can't stand the noise.

My neighbors are having a large, drunken party. All their redneck friends showed up and they're just blowing stuff up and screaming and carrying on. I am in full-on-sensory-overload-mode, and I'm having a lot of really violent, terrible, obsessive thoughts regarding them.

Right now, my coping mechanism consists of:
- my mp3 player and headphones, turned up as loud as they will go, to drown out every sound.
- a continuous flow of alcohol to deaden nerves.
- busy work for hands (cleaning, sorting, organizing, etc.) to keep my mind from obsessing on negative thoughts.

I guess it's not working well enough, because I'm on here complaining about it

Anyways, what do you have to say on the matter?

poorly I have phobias of bright lights, sound, and fire so I'm just waiting it out

Acacia,
I'm semi allergic to alcohol, but getting inebriated seems like a good idea. A lot of people here don't like herbs or homeopathics, but that's what I would try. If you're into prescribed drugs, maybe there's a sedative that would help? If you've got a quieter place to escape to, that helps too. I've got these great earplugs. They look like pink wax and are maleable. I usually take them with me everywhere, just in case. 4th of July is one of my least favorite holidays. The noise bothers me same way it does you. Some 4th of July holidays, I wondered if I was going to make it. I've been known to moan, rock and head bang to get through it. Not fun.

I know where you're coming from. With every loud boom, I jump and cringe. In our little town, the local fireworks display is launched on the next property from where I live, so, sometimes, the booms are so close you can you not only hear them, but feel them. It's great to have such a view, practically right underneath the fireworks, but I can only stand about ten minutes before my nerves are frazzled.

Our show was last night (the 3rd), and I ended up in the house with my 21 month old nephew, who didn't care for the fireworks, either. We read books and watched tv, then drank chocolate milk, but, even inside the house, both of us would cringe when those booms sounded off.

My cats and I are surviving. Tiny hasn't come out of hiding all day except to snuggle up to me and ask whether it is going to be all right. He does that during thunderstorms too... he's such a big sweetheart of a fraidy-cat!

What makes me grateful: Most fireworks are illegal here. We only have to deal with the tiny little poppers and the illegal fireworks people bought in another state. That means occasional loud cracking, but mostly small popping sounds from the neighbors' kids.

When I was a kid I lived in a state where explosive fireworks were legal. I loved watching them. That was the paradox of fireworks, to me: The visual input was extremely pleasant... the auditory was overwhelming. It's like somebody punches you in the face every time you get to eat ice cream. Some people would still go for the ice cream.

I like fireworks. I like to get them and shoot them off (the consumer ones). But haven't done that in a while because no fireworks of any kind are permitted in Rhode Island.

I love fireworks Pretty colors.... I had to work through most of the fireworks stuff, though. I could hear them popping a little from inside, but didn't get to see much.

Lovely mental image!
And so true.
The aerial explosions are beautiful and mesmerizing, but the sound is exactly as you say... punched in the face while eating ice cream.

It's good to hear that some of you live in states with more enlightened laws regarding the sale of fireworks. As you can see, I live in Florida: haven for dangerous fireworks, strip clubs, porn shops, liquor stores, and so on. Pretty much everything is legal here...

Thankfully, it's after midnight here, and the explosions have slackened off. I can now more or less feel at peace in my own home again.

I like the noise (the smell too). Thunder, fireworks, [distant] gunfire (close with hearing protection), and other explosions are cool to me.

I don't like the chronic noise of cars and stuff, but that single boom, I like.

I can deal with professional ones but the kind people shoot off in their back yard make me really jumpy. Just the sudden sound, reminds me of a gunshot or an explosion. I wish people would be more considerate especially in the city where everybody lives so close together. They're suppose to be illegal here actually but that isn't really enforced.

I love fireworks. I am outside right now watching them. If they are too loud, I just cover my ears.

I love them. I saw them from my apartment.

I am surprised they even had them this year because we are in a severe drought, and under a burn ban.

At Astros home games on Friday nights, they do a fireworks show after the game.

I love fireworks as well. I haven't had any problem with them since 12.

I love fireworks, a lot of fireworks are banned in GA, so I drove to South Carolina to get some mortars, roman candles, bottle rockets, m-95s. the noise is a bit annoying, but I love it.

I like fireworks in general, the chemistry behind them is actually interesting. I don't like the noise, even when I was a child, I've never been able to deal with the noise. They hurt my ears and make me a bit nauseous.

I like fireworks in general, the chemistry behind them is actually interesting. I just don't like the noise, even when I was a child, I've never been able to deal with the noise. They hurt my ears and make me a bit nauseous.