Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
