Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
