Christmas 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 one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. 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 time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
