The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas is a particularly difficult time as the noises of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
