Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
