Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds 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.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason 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 feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
