Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, 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 somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
