Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, 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 ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge 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 making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.