Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her family over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
