Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
