Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
