Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method 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 making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
