Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. A study discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, 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 most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
