The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a notably tough time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
