The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises coming from those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
