Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
