Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.
Lottie hopes for seeing her relatives over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
