Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays is a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
