Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
