Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
