Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear 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 managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
