Is it normal to be seriously irritated by unnecessary repetition?

I don't mean if a song is somewhat repetitious or a basketball bouncing. I mean if someone is constantly making the same noise with their mouth for no reason, pacing, or tapping a pen... basically anything that is constantly the same tempo, is unnecessary, and a repeated action (usually a noise) over and over. My boyfriend's roommate paces when he's on the phone from one end of the living room to the other over and over and within seconds I'm ready to snap. When my boyfriend plays this one game he has to tap a button over and over at the same speed and I've had to leave the room to avoid asking him to pause the game for a bit. I believe this somewhat stems from being an only child in a single parent house, so the only noise I ever heard was my own, and from whenever I went to my dad's house he always had problems with unnecessary noise (like my half-siblings shouting at their games).

Voting Results
91% Normal
Based on 22 votes (20 yes)
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Comments ( 4 )
  • howaminotmyself

    I really don't think being an only child has anything to do with this very normal thing that annoys many people.

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  • Koda

    I'm irritated by the opposite, actually. I can drown out anything that keeps a regular tempo. I actually find these noises somewhat relaxing. However, if the noises or actions are random. I find this extremely distracting. I have a musical mind, so that's probably why.

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  • Avant-Garde

    I'm an only child myself. There are certain repetitive noises that get on my nerves, jangling of keys and repetitive music. The latter would be Techno, House, Dance, etc. I need my music to have substance.

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  • WhiteStallion

    It definitely has nothing to do with being an only child because my friends kid comes round my house and repeats weird noises , taps the barrister rails, all while I'm asleep and she's an only child. That really annoys me cause I can't sleep afterwards but I usually just slap a big kiss on her cute little cheeks as punishment!

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