The sound is NOT teeth grinding

[nofsky]

The sound is probably just meant to be unnerving, like nails on a chalkboard or something like that

Also, when you hear it you know that your sanity is decreasing.

[onewolf]

The sound is probably just meant to be unnerving, like nails on a chalkboard or something like that

Also, when you hear it you know that your sanity is decreasing.

That's true, and I don't mind the sound per se. I do find that what it eventually sounded like to me is a poor representation of teethgrinding, and I couldn't shake that impression. I like the concept, but that particular sound and more specifically the volume at which it is played to be distracting rather than contributing to the otherwise immersive cache of excellent sound effects.

[lobban]

Sounds like someone stepping on glass from a distance or something. But it may very well be a sound mirage created by the excessive flooding of blood to the brain when Daniel craps his pants.

[Gvaz]

Does anyone have a sample of this? Because sometimes I hear like some monster is chewing on flesh or bone.

[Ness]

I think this is probably one of Frictional Games trick to put terror in the game.

Put a sound that will be scary but nobody can tell what this sound REALLY is (because it has no equivalent in our real world) and then you have everybody wondering what it is and getting paranoid over it.

Maybe I'm putting too much confidence into FG's work, but if I'm not and that's what you really intended when making that sound, I have to say that it's brilliant.

[Yuhaney]

I believe there really isn't any real meaning for the sound.
It's just one part of the horror and player can imagine what ever the sound brings to his mind, and that is what brings the atmosphere.

[Mikezila]

I imagined it as ice contracting and cracking. The screen shader you get (where it looks like you're looking through wavy glass, or ice) made my think of it. Not sure what that has to do with losing your mind, but it's what I first thought of.