Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
