Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, 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 oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
