Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
