Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds coming from other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep 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 use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
