Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
