Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than 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.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.