Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie hopes for seeing her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked 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 unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
