The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. A study found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
