Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot 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.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
