Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts reported almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain 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 culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
