Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire 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 stressed and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
