Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. 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 involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.