Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than 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 a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
