Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
