Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
