The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year can be a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
