The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
