Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year can be a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. A study found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
