Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
