A Case of Psychogenic Auditory Hyperesthesia

Abstract

The authors present a case of psychogenic auditory hyperesthesia (sound phobis). The patient, a 54-year-old house wife, wearing an anti-air raid hood to avoid aby kind of noise, showed severe diffiulty even in taking a bath and flushing the lavatiry. Therefore family members had to be cautious not to make any noise even when they use the refrigerator, alarm clock and television. Psysical examination did not show any organic brain disorders or otological disease. Accourding to the results of psychological testing, her intelligence was found in normal level, while personality wa characterized as lack of flesibility, dependency, and tendency to repress her dissatisfaction or aggression. Previous history should that she suffered from abnormal sesation at the temporal region when her wecond son was born. She had been deeply attached to her secomd son and worreid about separation from him. Because of her introvert trend, she could not express her own view about son's engagement. She began to have those symptoms after son's marriage, and severe sound phobia developed when she heard his first baby cry. During hospitalizetion period, she received Morita-oriented psychotherapy and assertive trraining. After 6 months of admission, she restored her normal life without being annoyed about ordinary sounds.