The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
