The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her relatives this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
