Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of 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 slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
