Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a particularly difficult period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method 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, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
