Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, 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 oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
