Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, 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 daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
