Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year is a notably tough period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds 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 upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
