Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is key. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
