Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates being with her family during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study reported almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
