Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
