The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
