Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, says currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
