The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
