Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. 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 invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.