Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for seeing her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.