The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"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 somehow control these sounds."
She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
