Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
