Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
