Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
