Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
