Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
