Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
