Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
