The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year is a notably tough season as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: 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, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.