Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
