Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year is a notably tough time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
Lottie has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
