Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: 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, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
