Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey 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, according to experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
