The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
