Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
