Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
