Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare 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 endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds coming from those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
