The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman anticipates being with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread 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 constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
