Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates seeing her family over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family 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 enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than 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 somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
