The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her relatives during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds 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 internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
