Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
