The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
