Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas is a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.