Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
