The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year is a particularly difficult season as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. 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 sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
