Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
