**7. Mental health impacts of noise**

Environmental noise is not believed to be a direct cause of mental illness, but it is assumed that it accelerates and intensifies the development of latent mental disorder. Studies on the adverse effects of environmental noise on mental health cover a variety of symptoms, including anxiety, emotional stress, nervous complaints, nausea, headaches, instability, argumentativeness, sexual impotency, changes in mood, increase in social conflicts, and general psychiatric disorders such as neurosis, psychosis, and hysteria [17, 21].

Then, even when exposed to lower noise levels than outdoor, why the problems of neighbor noise are taken so sensitively and seriously? This is because it is contrary to the expectation that home is a place of rest and a comfortable, quiet place.

New Yorkers, like citizens in the quietest towns of the country, expect less noise when they close the doors to their apartment and homes. They may willing to deal with the noisy street traffic, crowds, and subways, as they transverse the city but they are less tolerant of noisy intrusions into their homes (Why noise matter chap 2) [3]*.*

It turned out that psychiatric disorders are associated with noise sensitivity, rather than with noise exposure level, and the association was found to disappear after adjustment for the baseline trait anxiety. These and other results show the importance of taking vulnerable groups into account because they may not be able to cope sufficiently with unwanted environmental noise. This is particularly true of children, the elderly, and people with preexisting illnesses, especially depression. Despite the weaknesses of the various studies, the possibility that community noise has adverse effects on mental health is suggested by studies on the use of medical drugs, such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills, on psychiatric symptoms and on mental hospital admission rates. About 1 of 10 people are particularly noise sensitive. These people will become 10% more annoyed by noise than general population [22].

After adjustment of noise-related variables, sociodemographic factors, medical illness, and duration of residence, subjects in the high noise-sensitive (NS) group were more than 2 times more likely to experience depression and insomnia and 1.9 times more likely to have anxiety, compared to those in the low NS group. The levels of noise recognition and psychological discomfort are affected by various factors,

**33**

**Conflict of interest**

*Neighborhood Noise*

individuals [23].

**8. Conclusion**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92877*

correlated with DA as was noise annoyance [24].

provide national support for noise reduction.

The author declares no conflict of interest.

including individual components (e.g., age and effects of traits) and environmental factors, including contextual aspects and noise parameters (e.g., source, attitude toward noise, and amplitude modulation). Not all people exposed to environmental noise suffer from a disease or health problem, and the effects of noise differ among

Hearing noises above the perceived normal threshold, higher noise sensitivity, and continuous noises were associated with higher levels of displaced aggression (DA). It occurs when a person is provoked, is unwilling or unable to retaliate against the original provocateur, and subsequently aggresses against a seemingly innocent target. Low frequency and high intensity noises were also associated with higher DA scores. DA score was higher in women and in older people living in the neighborhood for a longer time, in people with better education, and in those reporting poorer health. Moreover, low frequency and continuous noises resulted in higher DA. The frequency of hearing noises above the normal threshold was positively

The laws related to noise are increasingly being strengthened, and the actual noise level is decreasing compared to the past with the improvement of building technology and the reinforcement of regulatory standards. However, social problems related to noise have become more serious and are now an important part of the psychoacoustic problems related to the environment. This is also related to the expectation of a better quality of life as a result of the improvement of the economic level and the desire for home comfort. Also, even when the actual noise level is not high compared to other external environments and problems occur between neighbors. Therefore, it means that the problem of neighborhood noise should be discussed not only at the physical level but also at the psychoacoustic aspects, and the individual's sensitivity and cultural difference should be considered. In particular, it needs to be treated more seriously, considering that health problems (especially mental problems) related to neighborhood noise may occur at a lower level than actual measured noise levels. Also, neighborhood noises tend to provoke the existing mental health problems related to noise more easily. Identifying the physiological and psychological effect of environmental noise precisely and making it recognized broadly comprise the essential part of solving the environmental noise problem to create better living environment. The neighborhood noise issues were in part due to the lack of communication between and among neighbors. Lack of contact within the community affected people's perception of the loudness of daily life sounds [6]. Furthermore, intense emotional conflicts between and among some neighbors were also found to be one of the major sources of daily life noise. Even though the neighborhood noise annoyance will always be an issue, we want to be good neighbors and also hope to have good relationship with neighbors. Consideration of neighborhood, social responsibility, and changes in social behavior are important factors in addressing neighborhood noise. In addition, it is necessary to understand a scientific basis for the health impact of noise and to

#### *Neighborhood Noise DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92877*

including individual components (e.g., age and effects of traits) and environmental factors, including contextual aspects and noise parameters (e.g., source, attitude toward noise, and amplitude modulation). Not all people exposed to environmental noise suffer from a disease or health problem, and the effects of noise differ among individuals [23].

Hearing noises above the perceived normal threshold, higher noise sensitivity, and continuous noises were associated with higher levels of displaced aggression (DA). It occurs when a person is provoked, is unwilling or unable to retaliate against the original provocateur, and subsequently aggresses against a seemingly innocent target. Low frequency and high intensity noises were also associated with higher DA scores. DA score was higher in women and in older people living in the neighborhood for a longer time, in people with better education, and in those reporting poorer health. Moreover, low frequency and continuous noises resulted in higher DA. The frequency of hearing noises above the normal threshold was positively correlated with DA as was noise annoyance [24].
