Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing 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 constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
