Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique 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 game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
