The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of 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.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
