The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for being with her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.