Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan 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 explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
