Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
