Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
