The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
