Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.