Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her family during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
