Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
