Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress 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 slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
