Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives 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 enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect 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 why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
