The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
