Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays is a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, 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 try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
