Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
