Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
