Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing 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 ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.