Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey 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, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
