Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
