Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic 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 it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain 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 copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
