Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, Christmas can be a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting 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 enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Try to associate the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
