The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
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 mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
