The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
