Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
