Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with this condition for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
