Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays is a notably tough season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread 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 enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
