Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays is a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: 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 copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
