Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year can be a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
