The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
