The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious 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 tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
