The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a notably tough period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
