Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
