Help for noise sensitivity in lockdown

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Hi,
I think I have a problem with noise sensitivity.
I have been directed here by someone I know who has Autism.

Since the beginning of lockdown, when a new tenant moved into the flat below mine, I have been ultra aware of everything they are doing. I can hear everything from the television and zoom/conference calls and just everyday day to day living. As far as I am aware nobody else in these flats seems to be experiencing this problem, so I can only deduce that the problem is with me.

I have tried everything from noise cancelling headphones, to different types of earplugs, and while some of these things have been effective, I still find it hard to cope. Having lived with it for ten months now, I am starting to find the situation highly stressful, and am unsure of what else I can do.

Please could somebody advise me on any way I could deal with this situation, as I finding it highly distressing?

Thanks,

Yeah i have the same problem i am currently living in a top floor flat with my family and i can literally here everything, it could be your living in a building that has very thin walls as i do. My neighbours are constantly arguing over drugs and other thing and have harrassed my family for being to loud but they can talk.

Then there's the other neighbours which are just as bad, they tend to ignore it as there all in cahoots with each other. It causes me great distress but luckily i've got a viewing for a house and hopefully be out of this dump.

But the problem isnt with you as the neighbors will hear it but do nothing. As a way to deal with it i'm afraid i'm at a loss or maybe consider moving somewhere quieter, but i know that everyone is not in a position to do so.

But if you have any questions feel free as like i said i have been dealing with it to.

I have had the same problem for several years.
I talked with my local social housing provider, who did do some work on my flat to fit soundproofing,
but the soundproofing wasn't particularly successful.

So I am now in pretty much the same position that i was before the soundproofing was fitted.
I am lucky that at least after 12 pm the lady who lives beneath turns her dam TV off.

In some countries there is a Grant fund that you may be eligible to apply for.
You would likely have to have evidence from official professionals, such as Occupational Therapists,
as well as perhaps an audiologist / clinical psychologist who can confirm that you suffer from misophonia (a lot tolerance to sound).

In some cases, I believe they do fund building works that cost up to £30k
although due to the lack of understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder

I am not sure as to how good the government is at giving these disability facilities grants
disabilities facilities grant

Welcome to Wrong Planet, it's nice to have another fellow Brit among us.
I am dealing with the same, except we live below someone who makes a lot of noise. She's been unemployed since lockdown, and isolating herself, so she's literally home 24/7. She lives on her own but she makes a lot of noise and somehow seems to be in every room at once. She has hardwood floors and hoovers a lot, and she's also got a habit of moving furniture - even in the night (I think she's insomnic). I can never enjoy listening to the rain pattering on the windows or other relaxing weather sounds because all I hear is her above, scraping, banging, bonking, all the time. So I've got to use earplugs nearly all the time.

You know
It is my opinion that it is not a reasonable expectation for people to demand us to simply put up with a facet of our disability.

That, i believe would be classified as disability discrimination.
However, for the most part, because the only people who suffer from this problem do not complain enough through the right channels, and most the charitable organisations don't really care enough to pursue funding from the government

it means that we get ignored

for this to change in the real world
we need to campaign the charities or the various governments (if you can find the right people to speak with, local MP's for example. the local council?).

If i lived in the UK, this is what i would do.
I live in Jersey, which has its own bizarre little overly important government which has its own type of politicians.
Which for the most part just ignore.

I guess if we wanted change, we would have to do things like set up petitions and get thousands of people to sign it, then deliver such petitions to the people in the government in hope to facilitate change.

For that however, it takes a lot of effort and hours of campaigning in public.
Sadly, the people who work at Autism based Charities don't care enough to help.
They instead keep taking their wage and ignore people who have genuine insight.
But there ya go.

How i fixed my issue somewhat is i got a radio so streaming it all night long to avoid sudden neighbor cussing and dog barks that interrupt and start again. so it covers the things they say about me and the pauses then restarts which is what tend to wake me up. It's not the most fortunate solution cause sone songs are louder so they might wake me but it has improved my experience.

Exposure to sound is shown to decrease sensitivity temporarily so sometimes in the non quiet hours stream music loudly either with powerful speakers or with earphones. This is less of help for me but noticeable and may be dangerous to hearing long term.

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