Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates being with her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.