Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For 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 engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
