Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has lived with this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. A study reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress 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 isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
