The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays 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 upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays 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 shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
