Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
