Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a notably tough season as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
