The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. 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 traditionally happy season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises 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 cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. 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 create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.