The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for seeing her family during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
