Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
