Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, 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 try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of 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.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
