Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, 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 guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
