Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
