Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
