Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
