Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
