The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
