The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
