The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
