The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
