Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.