The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds 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 make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, 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 stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
