Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year is a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering 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 retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
