Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough time as the noises of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with this condition for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing 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 constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
