Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
