Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
