The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for being with her family over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas can be a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
Lottie has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, 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, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
