Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her loved ones 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.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example 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 doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
