Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
