The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.