The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.