The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
