Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays is a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
