The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious 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 supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique 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 with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
