Christmas Transforms Into 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 endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. 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.
