Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
