Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds coming from other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
