Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
