Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates being with her family over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of people eating, slurping and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
