The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
