The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year is a notably tough period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"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 Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
