Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect 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 why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
