Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll endure 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 time as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
