The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. 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 changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
