Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an 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 active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
