Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates being with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain 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 behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
