Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
