Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. 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 invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.