The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision 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: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
