Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
