Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
