Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas is a notably tough time as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced this condition for several years and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
