The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a notably tough time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with this condition 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 other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, 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 difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
