Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
