Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year is a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
