Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her family during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a particularly difficult season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine 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. Even though the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
