Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year can be a notably tough time as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds made by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
