Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
