The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.