Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers 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 upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason 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 could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
