The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
