The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
