Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas 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 make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity 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 want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"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 Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
