Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. 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 active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
