Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
