The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult season as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
