Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
