Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread 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 really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
