The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing 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 constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
