Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention 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. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
