The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
