The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, 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 various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: 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 making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.