The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
