Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
