Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, instead of 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: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
