Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds produced by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
