Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- 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 sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
