The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid 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 managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. 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 game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
