Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are 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 aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.