The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are 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 constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
