Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing 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 guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
