Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
One young woman hopes for being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.