Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises made by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year 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, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
