WitchCityHound
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It's time for my annual reminder that many veterans suffer from sound sensitive PTSD. Fireworks can trigger an episode. Please keep that in mind before lighting off anything near homes.
Edit: wow, my first time going viral. Be safe everyone. I use Sony active noise cancelling over ear headphones. They're amazing.
Pokegeologist
I survived an electrical fire when I was 15. Unexpected pops, smells of smoke, burnt plastic, and ozone will always leave me unsettled and hyperalert for hours. It's been 20 years.
wybaugh2112
Idiots around me already started launching last night
Zuegma197777
Keep in mind school shooting survivors also.
RightHere0076
The ass hole that drives the damned race car starting it @ 4:30am right outside my bedroom window and runs it for 3 min. It feels like an hour as I try pulling my claws back in & climbing down from the ceiling. I have no business sleeping @ that late hour. It only took all night to finally wind down & shut yesterday off.
arumunus
New worry too is July 4th now coinciding with the recently added "Wildfire" season..
AliceAndRabbit
People in our town will shoot fireworks the days leading up to and after the 4th. At least on the 4th you know it's coming. My partner always handles it well when there's unexpected fireworks. He says you can't control what others do but can manage yourself, but it still pisses me off. Many nice, peaceful, summer evenings have been ruined by people and their fire toys, claiming to celebrate veterans.
TheDaharMaster
I live in Oakland. There’s full-on *gunfire* going off. More than usual
LtColDijon42
This is huge, I do not have sound sensitivity, my buddy who ran over an IED however? He usually comes over so we can help his wife with the kids and he chills in our hot tub. The vibrations and the water help him immensely. Figured I'd share this tip for awareness
dcondogg
I live in the south, so... fireworks are going off tonight. NOT fond of this time of year. The noise, the lights flashing over the horizon. It all comes back. I will not miss it, when its over.
cactuskid1956
Yeah like people who buy fireworks give a fuck about annoying everyone else.
flyinghamstick
"Hrreuurghh-durr make loud noise, feel tingle in pants, nobody else exists except for me"
joot
Oh, they care. It’s at least half of why they do it. They are trolls who get off on “fuck you, neighbor.”
mechecat19423000
I remember my friend CJ , just 2 call me all night ...and I always was there for him ...miss him so much 🥺♥️
thatwoodguy
As a Canadian veteran of so-called peacekeeping in Bosnia Herzogovena, certain smells can set me off like the smell of burning phosphorus from booby traps. And burning flesh too.
DurendaI
I have always used Sony noise cancelling headphones due to experiences from past deployments. I got the new WH-1000XM5 and they work fantastic.
ACoupleThumbs
I just got the XM4s and can agree ANC works like a charm.
YeOlRazzleDazzle
I usually spend my 4th hanging out with a Marine friend of mine -- We play video games and hang out to distract him from the noise
greenf1sh
Buddy served in Afghanistan, survived more than one IED to a vehicle he was in, came back and initially stayed at a friend's place. For nearly two weeks before and after the 4th neighborhood kids were setting off fireworks outside their apartment, all stuff that the parents had clearly given to them. Asked them to stop, nothing; called the cops, cops couldn't be bothered; finally, their neighbor called the fire department, they came out and put the fear of god in the kids and their parents.
Saxytimes
I just realized this year that I have mild sensory issues when shopping and I would love some good headphones and sunglasses. I tried sunglasses inside and I felt a million times more relaxed
AlcoholicsAnonymousBYO
For some reason supermarket lighting gets my nose running - sneezing even. Might try sunnies, see how that goes.
wookietiddy
I used to love fireworks. Then I got a dog that shakes from late June to August. It annoys me when people light off artillery shells in the city. A desert city no less.
Loundagr
I’m browsing Imgur in the bathroom keeping my dog company in the bathtub writing this. I can’t fall apart because she’s afraid of the noise too.
IcedCarbon
I'm so sorry for your dog, not knowing what those noises are. Our dog, before he got old and really hard of hearing, would always get very concerned and nervous during thunderstorms and came to us for comfort. I hope everything works out for you, and that one day, you're only there on her behalf. Cheers.
Feralkyn
I was really afraid our (formerly feral) cat would be terrified of fireworks & thunder but apparently she's a fucking psychopath b/c she really wants to go check them out...
IcedCarbon
LOL. Cats are ALWAYS finding ways to make us say, "WTF?!?"
dughislife
Same
Seandarkside
Wood falling in a warehouse like Home Depot or Lowe’s makes me jump every damn time.
fake40nedeso
PTSD aside, I'd be unsettled too and would stop doing to locate the source as something could 've happened
RevolutionOnHerLips
god I got anxiety just reading that and thinking about it
inkasep1
It's the fucking booming ECHO that hits the most!
Imustntrunaway
I always wondered, is it easier to deal with when you can SEE (visually) that it's fireworks going off, if the visual context helps make it any easier or if just the sound regardless of whether you see it or not is enough to put someone in a bad place.
MrTopp3r
Can only speak to my experience - I'm totally cool with them if I can see them, until the finale of a show. Something about the excess just sends it way over the edge. I'm still anxious if I can see them, but less so.
Imustntrunaway
That does make some sense. I'm kind of easy to overstimulate for entirely different reasons but the usual ending of a firework show gets me kind of riled up as well. To be fair, I think that chest thumping crescendo is what the firework techs are usually going for, but I can imagine how too much going on could bypass your conscious 'it's just fireworks' thought pattern right down into the lizard brain 'fuck me this is BAD gotta go now' type situation given your own experiences. Thank you.
MrTopp3r
Doesn't help that I finally got diagnosed with autism 😂 I never really understood why I got overstimulated when I was younger. Couple the autism with a TBI, and PTSD, which led into generalized anxiety and depression...whooo! It's good times!
GadenKerensky
Perhaps because it sounds like a full on barrage of gunfire, the kind when shit gets serious
MrTopp3r
And close. So fucking close. I feel it in my chest.
AwwFrick
My poor adopted stray orange kitty is terrified. He keeps running under the bed and hangs out for hours and when he does come out he just slinks really low to the ground. I've tried CBD to help him but haven't had luck so far
staygayponyboy
Talk to your vet and see if they can give you a stronger medication for the next couple nights
MapleSyrupMafia
Some dumbass took his dog to the Canada Day fireworks last year... They found it days later hiding under someone's porch... If you're at home, it's one thing, but bringing a pet at an event KNOWN to scare animals is fucking dumb
hollowedskin
Talk to your vet, they used to give me valiums to give to my anxious boy in quarters whenever they were doing roadworks outside our house. They said the ones I take for my own PTSD are exactly the same so I didn't need to keep bringing him in for scripts. Wouldn't recommend just giving it to them without a vet check and approval first, but stress can cause serious health issues. My boy ended up needing to be put down from stress induced cystitis, so I always recommend getting vet help for stres
hadtochangemyusernamecauseIgotdivorced
My "soundproof 3M earplugs" took care of me being able to hear fireworks anymore.
GabbyJayYay
What happened to the lawsuit?
4vie
*holds up sign reading*:"They blew out your ears, didn't they?"
Prometheus79
We were supposed to wear them in the engine room, but you can't wear them and actually hear the sound powered phones so yeah...my hearing is not great
okunoPumpkinPrincess
Same
RatFromADifferentSewer
WHAT?
UtahGimm3Tw0
It’s the fuckin worst ain’t it? Fuck 3M
Bytencoder
They make good diskettes though...
agburanar
I spent my time on a big white ship, mostly in the engine room - apparently because we used double hearing protection (plugs and muffs) the VA says the 3M plugs should still have been sufficient. And since it's much worse in my left ear than my right, I must have been "using provided PPE incorrectly". No chance that the watch station had a lot more noise on one side versus the other, right?
sayessathe1st
Jesus... my left ear's worse because the AF was too cheap to put A/C in our trucks, so we always rode around with the windows down next to airplanes with engines running, but they didn't try to deny why the left was worse.
omagouch
Amazing that we spend trillions on military hardware and contractors but fuck all when it comes to actually taking care of our soldiers.
Lashiel87
Thats because the military machine is designed to create profits for specific groups not care about people.
PosthumousExile
Bruh. I can still hear slot with earplugs jammed in my ears. I get them in bulk at home Depot and have special swimmers silicone ones for social events. Got that bullshit Daredevil hearing and none of the cool stuff that comes with it. It's all torture. I can hear electricity, the dogs in the apartment building across from me, and every disgusting noise a human mouth makes when eating.
moffit
try loop earplugs, my friend swears by them. they have different sets depending on situation
Pr0Pain
Misophonia, maybe?
ThongsAreFootwear
Yes
Eilonwyy
Autism granted me the same superpower. Means I'm good at mixing music, at least...
ThongsAreFootwear
I'm very much the same. Have you found anything to be effective? Or even helpful?
anarchoFeline
anyone can have ptsd not just veterans. there is an incredible amount of gun violence in this country so there are more than just veterans that can be sensitive to those types of stimuli.
Mountons
Fireworks suck, can't we just stop this bullshit?
kodiak931155
I think most people kinda like em
Shizzstains
The shows on the 3rd and 4th are cool. But thad down the street lighting off mortars every night for a week on both sides of independence day is a tool. Kids love em. Adults on the other hand...
rubypilgrim
btw, australia is the first country that approved psychedelics for the treatment of PTSD and depression. Just putting this out there for those who might not know about this.
ballin384
And here's the annual reminder that the vast majority of veterans absolutely love fireworks
FierceAndAdorable
Most weren’t were people were trying to kill then.
freshthrowaway1138
ah yes, the annual reminder that veterans can be jerks as well. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Sumpte
Cool, fuck that minority of people then
measterl
What wars were you all in? I was in Vietnam
Clymenus000
Thank you for your service. I was not in any wars. My dad was in Vietnam and both my grandpas were in WWII. I have been lucky!
PffftNext
Yes thanks for bombing Vietnamese villages, really appreciate it
blockberd
Forgot the /s?
MrTopp3r
Iraq was the big one. Smaller TDYs in Africa, SE Asia, and South America.
Abraxaz777
Drone Shows are slowly creeping in. Hope an affordable alternative happens soon for the retail side soon.
MapleSyrupMafia
*Drone gun intensifies
Abraxaz777
Drone Firework Shows. Hundreds dancing in sync in the skies. Pet Friendly and silent. The huge shows cost less than half to program too. It’s a needed change.
Abraxaz777
Check out some of the drone light shows on YouTube. Totally impressive:-)
happywalker
looking at whats happening in ukraine right now i suspect a lot of veterans of future wars will have ptsd from the sound of that.
Abraxaz777
These are silent light shows high up in the night sky. I’m just bringing up an alternative to firework shows with smoke, fire and bombs, that’s all. It won’t stress animals out either because it’s Silent.
titaniumsnail
If they are high enough up you shouldn't hear them. Also they don't have to be as powerful as military drones or even high end movie camera ones. They only need to carry a light.
happywalker
for sure, i'm more thinking the kids next door playing with a drone in the garden noise wise.
Twrecks123
I have a friend who is a veteran who ends up locking himself in a closet he lined with egg crate foam and noise canceling headphones on NYE and 4th of July.
bananaisntfriend
My husband did four tours while in service. I’m clumsy but I work really hard not to drop anything or make an unexpected loud noise. We don’t do crowds or fireworks, and if it’s a general celebration I stay with him in our bedroom, with a laptop with large headphones for him and I read the subtitles. I’d do anything to not see him turn pale when something loud he isn’t expecting happens.
HeadJamistan
I know this is besides the point, but you can use either get a cable splitter for corded headphones or connect 2 bluetooth sets.
bananaisntfriend
No it’s ok and true we can, honestly we will get around to it at some stage just gotta find the time
GreaseMonkeyOfLove
Your friend might want to look into anechoic chambers https://www.today.com/health/therapeutic-silence-one-quietest-rooms-world-t130981
ahouserah013000
Why isn't it "July 4th", as is normal US convention?
Kerbal247
I spend most of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the basement "finding things to do" to avoid it. It's just too close to being back there. New year's eve and day aren't any better. It's ironic that the way most Americans celebrate independence day is with the little cousins of the same ordinance that took so many of us and continues to impact so many more.
GrifCreeper
As the Simpson's so eloquently put it, let's celebrate the birth of our country by blowong up a small piece of it
sweetandsmokey
It is unfortunately very commun and so sad. I even knew a civilian that lived in a war zone and can no longer enjoy fireworks without a panic attack. Veterans have it a million time worse.
ionlyregisteredtosavelinks
Fuck that's tough. But also makes me happy, given they likely got it from attacking/invading a sovereign country/countries. That makes my shit boil. But USA nambaaa oooneeee, sure.
AmArschdieRaeuber
Don't hate the players, hate the game son. People get coerced into these things, but nobody forces anybody to start a war.
Lashiel87
You're fucked up if the thought of someone suffering like that makes you happy. There are no winners in war but applauding the suffering of someone who didn't pick the battles or the countries they fought in is fucked. Like hate the government, hate the military leadership, but blanket rooting for suffering is a shit move.
TheOnePristineMonk
It's not the politicians that sent the gullible kids to war having the issues... It's the gullible kids years later
mouseyroxy1
Fireworks already started last night
SirVG
Some places did their fireworks early, either due to the weekend or due to not being able to get workers for the 4th to deliver/handle them.
mouseyroxy1
Nah I'm talking shitty neighbors who buy their own for every night
monkeyfly
I find that I'm ok if I can see them. It's the ones that wake me up from sleep that get me. I know that one day I'll be better and it won't bother me anymore but it feels like a long wait.
giraffytaffy
That's how my friend is. He did one tour in Afghanistan and is okay as long as he's expecting it and can see it. It's the unexpected ones that trigger the fight response.
CrazyCatLad
Must suck b/c many towns don't actually have fireworks on the 4th but rather the nearest weekend or Friday. Ours is doing it on the 7th!
mrsdowneyjr
Unfortunately people drag it out 3 days in either direction too
Saro87
Remind that person to not move to California, we have it for two weeks
Ichigeki
Arizona has been having fireworks going off since the 21st 🙃. I have noise sensitivity, shit makes me super anxious
SoraHjort
So many places these days will have people at random times light fireworks for a month prior to a month after. And thinking on it, that's not helpful for those with PTSD. Cause atleast with just 4th of July, it's a predicted day. One can prep for it. They can't prep for those who'll light a cracker, throw it into the street, and run away before the cops show up.
pleaseconsiderthatImightbejoking
One thing that would help, mandatory holiday on the forth except for emergency services. Part of the reason it lasts all week is a lot of people don't get it off, so families have to move the celabration around. Hell, my employer did a half day starting a 5pm, just to be an asshole.
QotU
They are going off tonight in my high fire danger, illegal fireworks zone SoCal neighborhood. I’m okay if they lose a finger.
Twrecks123
In reality, it’s the 2 weeks before and after these holidays as well. He goes in the closet as needed on those days. But 4th and NYE he *plans* to lock himself in.
UWAGAGABLAGABLAGABA
Oahu has it for like 3 months leading up to nye. Them nye is basically a warzone for 8 hours.
skookumchucker
Your username reads like how I transliterate Stitch's language in my head. And the Oahu reference only convinces me further.
iTwistless
A few days ago I heard the loudest firework or explosion I've ever heard around 3am pst. I was wearing noise cancelling ear buds and listening to music and I felt the house shake and heard the sound like it was right next to me. Woke my folks up. Moms guaranteed that wasn't a firework. Shit made me jump out of my seat. It made me anxious ASF I have convulsions and that thing got me really nervous.
WitchCityHound
Might have been a transformer blowing too. They can create a big shaking boom.
joot
Some of the ones made for sound-only are getting ridiculous. It’s basically just a fucking bomb. Someone set one off at a family-friendly public venue I was at last year, and I swear it should be prosecuted as terrorism, for all the fear they caused at that scene.
jojosburritoadvantages
Californian here. Fireworks are year-round.
YouKnowThatRandomGuyWhoLikesVikingsNamedBerzerkerlord
No wonder you guys have so many forest fires.
Ark161
Demand that shit be enforced. It is only when we accept that nothing will happen, that nothing actually happens. If you want to look at it the gross way, lost revenue for the police department.
HisDudness
LA's favorite impromptu game show: Is that a firework or a gunshot?
cfbshank36
Dimestream
It's the night of the 1st and they already started a planned 5 day string near my PTSD Veteran buddy's house, which is specifically in a low noise ordinance zone. He's called the police and asked them to do their job THREE TIMES and no dice.
netutoring
Because they don't want to write up their buddies.
RandomTurd
Nah this one is actually hard as hell to do. For the ticket to be accepted, we literally have to catch them in the act. We can seize their shit if we find it but that's just one launcher tube gone.
Cruxia13
This is why it would be such a major step forward if more places would go with the "silent firework" drone shows instead. They're such an improvement for people with sound sensitivities. They're also just more interesting to watch.
BenderBenderBender
This would be great for many reasons. Sadly though, I think most of the problem are people setting themselves off on private land at random days/times. Pubic firework shows would be easier to avoid bc the date, time, and location are posted well in advance. Harder to avoid when neighbors set them off w/o warning on a random day/time.
BenderBenderBender
Not that our vets deserve to be forced to hide from fireworks at any time. But I’m sure wearing nose cancelling headphones for an hour that is specified well in advance would be a great improvement over the unpredictability they face today.
T3NM1DG3TS
I’d be more interested in seeing us create fewer veterans (and victims) with PTSD, and for the VA to give existing veterans with PTSD proper fucking care. At that point fireworks wouldn’t be so much of an issue
titaniumsnail
They are still an issue for wildlife. Every new years I see birds flying in panic trying to avoid the noise and flashing lights. Every year life stock is also frightened and injure themselves in panic. Dogs and cats panicking just as much. Not to mention all the trash they produce that rain down over towns and nature alike. There are very few upsides to fireworks apart from some pretty imagery.
Qpnao
T3NM1DG3TS
Because fireworks are cool as shit
QT3pt141592653
And eco friendly!
AfterTheRainComesTheRainbow
and they look super neat!
ManByTechnicality
Eh, the eco part is a trade off. Your trading not polluting your neighborhood for polluting someone else's.
Qpnao
Not really. :/ that's a lot of drones that need a lot of conflict minerals and tech waste is awful
titaniumsnail
It's better for the environment where fireworks is usually used. No smoke, no rocket parts littering everywhere, no scared animals panicking all over the place.
Qpnao
Well yes, but also small children working in cobalt mines for nothing or next to nothing :/