Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar 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.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
