The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, 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 ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
