Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a particularly difficult season as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear 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 sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.