The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises 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 skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"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 Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: 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 feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
