The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her relatives during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
