Exaggerated startle reflex

[luuknam]

Anybody have experience with this? Any advice on how to make it less exaggerated?

[Guest]

Mine is terrible. But it became that way due to my adrenal issues and my crap ability to cope with physiological stress. Something startles me and I yell and then end up shaky for a few minutes because my body isn't able to cope and move on.

 

Solutions seem to be sucking less at life, never being startled or stressed, and having functioning glands.

 

I'm sorry, that's probably not helpful to you. But my reflex used to be normal and has worsened as my adrenals have tanked, so if you've noticed it getting worse over time might I suggest mentioning it to an open minded doctor?

Edited January 28, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[Outdoorsy Type]

Mine seems to be tied to my upper back muscles being tight. Which is probably stress. I do better with regular hot baths with Epsom salts and reducing as much stress as possible.

[Guest]

The best I've been able to do is explain to ds24 that my body sees "BIG SCARY MAN" long before my brain sees my sweet son.

 

That and no firearms, mace, pepper spray, etc. anywhere near the front door. No. Just no.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Guest

[luuknam]

Thanks Taryl. I do have generalized anxiety disorder, but my startle reflex has gotten much worse over the past years whereas my anxiety is probably a little better rather than worse (not sure, my medication has changed over time as well). I probably should talk to my doctor about it.

 

I was feeling tense already, so I took a klonopin, then went to take the trash out, and while closing the front door my hand brushed against the snow shovel (in the practically dark in the hallway). I screamed, fell back against the door (knocked snow shovel over in the process), panting, etc. On other occasions, I've done similar things because I saw a bunny sitting in the driveway in the dark (startled before realizing it was a bunny), and plenty of other stupid little things.

[gardenmom5]

I had this when I was younger.  I believe for me, it would become so engrossed in what I was doing - my body would become oblivious to what was around me.  I recall one time, as a mid-teen,  *seeing* the person approach me, but I was doing what I was doing, and when they spoke to me . . . .it was out of my control.

 

I think for me it was neuological development.

[UCF612]

Oh gosh mine is terrible. I'm going to have a heart attack one day just from my husband walking into a room.  He thinks it is funny (but TRULY doesn't try to scare me on purpose) but I really freak for a second before I register that there isn't a threat.  I had dreams as a child of becoming a spy/detective/FBI agent.  I realize now that was definitely not the career path for me! 

[Guest]

That sounds like it might be tied to an anxiety response even though you're mentally feeling better. Your body and brain could still be anticipating and stress responding to that tension. Like I said I'm no help, even being touched by a kid I wasn't expecting makes me jump up, scream, and then end up trembling and feeling dizzy as my body tries to fall back down. But it's not fear so much as that reflex - I'm slow to acclimate to stress and something startling me is like a zap to my crap system.

 

Do things like sedatives or caffeine help? Is it better at certain times of day?

[luuknam]

Do things like sedatives or caffeine help? Is it better at certain times of day?

 

I haven't really tracked it. It's probably more common in the evening, but that might simply be because it's dark then and it's easier to be surprised by something you didn't see in the dark. I've also startled in the middle of the day opening the shared front door right when the neighbor was opening his front door (duplex with hallway leading to shared front door). And obviously when one of the kids (Celery, I'm looking at you...) decides to sneak up on me and hug me or whatever from behind. He thinks it's funny. I've tried to explain it's not, that it increase my stress hormones (cortisol) too much and is bad for my health. I'm not sure how much of that is true, but I was hoping it'd work... but it hasn't really.

[luuknam]

Forgot to answer the second part...

 

I think it's probably better when I'm on klonopin (and it's had time to actually get absorbed etc, as opposed to this evening, when this happened 1-2 min after taking it), but I'm not sure. I probably should start keeping a journal. I don't think caffeine helps.

[SKL]

I don't have this problem, but your title made me chuckle, because I have a friend like this.  If you touch her unexpectedly, she will smack you.  Whack first and ask questions later.  A couple times she whomped on my then-10yo sister for walking up behind her and tapping her as a "hello."

 

I am not sure whether it's in-born or in response to experience.  She used to live in a country where you would get inappropriately touched while you rode the bus to/from work etc.  Most likely she needed to smack people in order to keep them from abusing her.

[JumpyTheFrog]

I've had adrenal problems on and off for the last nine years. When they get worse I start to get jumpy and startle easily.

[gaillardia]

:mellow:  :grouphug: that sucks. you have my sympathy. I used to be jumpy and startle easily.

[38carrots]

I sometimes scream when DH or one of the kids starts talking to me while I'm engrossed in something else. Sometimes when DH walks into the room. I don't feel shaky or stressed aftewards, though. I usually laugh. At myself.

 

I didn't know this could be related to adrenal issues. Now I'm worried. I've been like this for years.

[Rosie_0801]

Chiropractics can help with this, believe it or not, by helping calm down the adrenals.

 

You could also look up stuff on the retained Moro reflex. I don't know if those exercises help with people whose were properly integrated and are now displaying a retained response due to stress. I also don't know if a properly integrated Moro will ever exaggerate under prolonged stress like you are describing or whether that would mean yours was only mostly integrated.

[SorrelZG]

I have this problem (in my collection  :closedeyes: ), but no solution. 

 

My brain is usually quick enough to process "you are not in danger" faster than I can respond by jumping and screaming BUT not fast enough to prevent the jump and scream reflex from executing. So, by the time you see me jump and scream, I'm mentally already over the scare, though still physically shaken.  :confused1:

 

Edited January 31, 2016 by SGPS

[luuknam]

I have this problem (in my collection  :closedeyes: ), but no solution. 

 

My brain is usually quick enough to process "you are not in danger" faster than I can respond by jumping and screaming BUT not fast enough to prevent the jump and scream reflex from executing. So, by the time you see me jump and scream, I'm mentally already over the scare, though still physically shaken.  :confused1:

 

Ha, that reminds me... as a kid, if I tripped, I'd yell "ouch!" before I even hit the ground. Sometimes it turned out the "ouch!" was unnecessary, lol. I don't recall doing that when I was older, but I don't fall as often either.