The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, 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 ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
