The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
