Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
