Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, 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 somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
