Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough period as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays 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 really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
