The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
