The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
