Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her family during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, 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 result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise 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 changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
