Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
