The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by using her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get 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 somehow control these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game 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 active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
