The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I get 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 triggers."
The individual has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, 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 active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
