The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
