Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
