Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed 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 hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By joining in, 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.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
