Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
