Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
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 conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
