Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though 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 causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
