Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face 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 spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
