The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
