Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
She has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. 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: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
