The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, 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 somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
