A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
Lottie has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
