Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
