Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
