Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a notably tough period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are 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 mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
