Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, heavy 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 stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
