The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
