Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
