Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
