The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
