The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. 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 somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
