The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her relatives over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
