Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
