Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.