Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
