Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old 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 usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
