Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her relatives this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
