Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for seeing her family over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
