Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
