Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a particularly difficult season as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, 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 everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
