The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
