The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year can be a notably tough period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those produced by other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition 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 desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
