Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
