The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates being with her family over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas is a notably tough period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.