The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her relatives over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
