Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "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 conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily 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 competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
