Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
