Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "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 mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
