Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, 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 difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, rather than 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.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
