The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus 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 doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
