Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises 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 really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
