The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
