Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
