Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises 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 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
