Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas can be a particularly difficult period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
