Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
