Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.