Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
