Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
