The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
