The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult 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 a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique 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, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
