Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has lived with this condition for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
