Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
