Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
