Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays is a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
