The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough season as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, 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 from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas 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 make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
