The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds coming from other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware 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 supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
