Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her relatives during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example 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. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
