The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her family during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, 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.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
