Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
