#10: Hypersensitivity to Light and Sound
March 25th, 2001. (Basic Facts – continued)
My hypersensitivity to light and sound (especially to sound) began after I’d completely weaned myself off the Paxil. But, as is the case with all the symptoms I’ve listed here, it can happen before, during or after one has stopped taking the Paxil. Bright lights or quickly changing shades of light, such as a strobe light or even fast-paced edits in films or videos, become physically painful to watch. You may find yourself dimming or turning off many of the lights in your house (fluorescent lights and LCD monitors are the worst). Staring at a television screen or computer monitor can quickly become painful on the eyes (neurologically painful, I guess).
Along with this is a hypersensitivity to sound similar to that which one might experience during an alcoholic hangover. The slightest unanticipated sound sends a shot of adrenalin through your system that makes you jump about ten feet in the air every time it happens. (Irritating sounds such as someone clipping their fingernails or crunching candy in their mouth can become ultra-irritating.) This hypersensitivity is also comparable to what one might experience from a migraine episode. It can take several months to completely dissipate, in which case it may not be easy to live with, but eventually it goes away. Patience.
P.S. (Sept. 2006): I was still very sensitive to fluorescent lights for about a year or two after I got off the Paxil. Which sucks, because fluorescent lights are everywhere. Those weren’t exacty good times for me. I had more than a few days and nights where I thought, “Is this ever going to end?” Thankfully, it did.