Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
