The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
