Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family 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 guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense 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.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
