The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
