Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
