The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a particularly difficult season as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
