The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, 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 ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
