# Anyone easily startled by people?



## Vade (Mar 11, 2006)

This happens to me pretty often, and it’s highly embarrassing. 

I’ll walk towards the elevator on my residence hall’s floor, then someone will come around the corner out of the elevator and I’m so shocked by their presence that I’ll stand still for a second and have this surprised look on my face. Or, to take an example from a few minutes ago, my door was ajar and my dorm mate simply said “Good morning”. My back was to him, so I sort of fidgeted in my chair, turned around and said, “Woah, you scared me!” 

Does this also happen to anyone? If so, how do you deal with it?


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## missnat84 (Dec 31, 2004)

I have this problem too. 

I've always been very jumpy and easily startled,someone can just walk in the room without saying a word and i jump out of my skin,it can get very embarassing. I havent figured out a way to overcome this problem,i guess i'm too much of a nervous person :afr


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## Icon of Sin (Jan 21, 2006)

Yeah, but the reason I get startled is because I know I'm going to have to respond in some way 

:um


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## Veggie1 (Jan 12, 2006)

Oh, yes. :afr In fact, my sister-in-law helped me move last October and was around me a lot. I'm not only startled by people but everyday things, such as almost knocking something over, etc. I gasp easily and she commented I "do that a lot." I've read on Dr. Richards' site that this is common for people with SA, which makes sense.


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## Ledd Bullet (Feb 26, 2006)

I'm quite easily startled. It doesn't help matters any that my dad often intentionally startles me because it amuses him.


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## Melusine (Jun 19, 2004)

Yes, i tend to be very 'jumpy' when someone comes out by surprise, it's an embarrassing thing of mine, i'm so edgy and stuff sometimes in public, i think it's amusing to people...


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I would probably walk out there expecting to run into people. That way, I won't be as surprised. When it does happen, I am not as shocked. :stu


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

It kind of depends on my mood. Sometimes I'm very much that way, especially if I'm feeling withdrawn and overwhelmed.


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## brownkeys (Sep 19, 2005)

Vade said:


> This happens to me pretty often, and it's highly embarrassing.
> 
> I'll walk towards the elevator on my residence hall's floor, then someone will come around the corner out of the elevator and I'm so shocked by their presence that I'll stand still for a second and have this surprised look on my face. Or, to take an example from a few minutes ago, my door was ajar and my dorm mate simply said "Good morning". My back was to him, so I sort of fidgeted in my chair, turned around and said, "Woah, you scared me!"
> 
> Does this also happen to anyone? If so, how do you deal with it?


This definitely happens to me a lot and it is embarrassing. I don't know why I have to be so jumpy and it will be in response to the most trivial things. I am able to control it for the most part, just a matter of always trying to keep my nerves in check.


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## READFIN (Nov 6, 2004)

Vade

i am startled frequently.

if someone behind me or to the side touches me on the shoulder or back i seem to jump a foot

i asked my dr about it and was told it was a symtom of PTSD. since he said noone 
was killed in my ordel i don't have PTSD.

hope this sheds some light

Jim


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## perfectlycalm (Nov 15, 2005)

I have this problem when I'm in stores, it happens often with me. It can really set me off into a lot more anxiety. Lowing your overall anxiety helps.


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## frightened (Feb 14, 2006)

i remember some tapping my shoulder in high school and i jumped right out of the chair. there was this boy who knew i was easily startled and he made me jump all the time. i also jump when i hear noises.


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## brokenlight (Mar 10, 2004)

Yes, and it can be really embarrassing.


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## lilkitty82 (Mar 7, 2006)

Omg, I am startled so easily! A long time ago at this place I worked one of my co-workers walked up to me and said something and it scared me so bad even though she was right there!! Later the manager said "so I hear you are scared of your own shadow". :stu 
It still happens to me this day sigh....


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## nesteroff (Nov 14, 2003)

This happens to me constantly when I don't deal with my anxiety on a regular basis. If I stay home and don't talk to anyone for a few days, it becomes very severe. Recently I didn't leave for a week, and it was extremely bad when I went out. I literally jumped when a guy reached for bread next to me in the bread aisle at the grocery store. It was obvious enough for him to look at me very perplexed. 

But if I make a point to go out on a daily basis, or at the very least every other day, it seems to go away naturally. I think people can become desensitized enough to control this.


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## bluze (Mar 28, 2006)

I get very jumpy...Then I get panicky after my heart skpis a beat, races then I expect to have a heart attack...I fear it will happen. Death by startling...?????!!!! I`d rather go quietly in my sleep, than have people explaining that "She was scared to death"...Maybe that`s where the saying comes from!??!


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## Sasha (Mar 1, 2006)

I'm always startled or shocked by people.
When I go to my grandparent's house it gets even worse because well they just walk right into my room and they're like "SASHA!". It scares the living daylights out of me. I find it kind of mean that they would do that, but I guess they don't realize that I'm actually SCARED of it. Like, for a person who didn't have SA they'd probably be startled too, but I find for me it's a little extreme. My heart will pound for like 15 minutes after that. I'm a very uneasy person.


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## wilburytwist (Apr 24, 2006)

I can be easily startled sometimes. I moved my desk in my room to the same wall as my door so whenever someone comes in, I can see now.
But still, I always jump when I'm at the computer and my mum pops her head in. I sometimes jump right up and minimize whatever I was doing (don't know why I do that, just automatic I suppose) which makes it look as if I'm doing something "bad" on the computer. :roll



Veggie1 said:


> I'm not only startled by people but everyday things, such as almost knocking something over, etc. I gasp easily


I do that. Whenever I almost knock something over I gasp, or say "oh!" or something really stupid (ie I say "argh").


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## letitrock (Jan 10, 2009)

Vade said:


> This happens to me pretty often, and it's highly embarrassing.
> 
> I'll walk towards the elevator on my residence hall's floor, then someone will come around the corner out of the elevator and I'm so shocked by their presence that I'll stand still for a second and have this surprised look on my face. Or, to take an example from a few minutes ago, my door was ajar and my dorm mate simply said "Good morning". My back was to him, so I sort of fidgeted in my chair, turned around and said, "Woah, you scared me!"
> 
> Does this also happen to anyone? If so, how do you deal with it?


Yeah, this has happened to me a few times, I thought it was just me being weird. It doesn't happen often enough that I have to "deal with it" though.


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