The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
