Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
