The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent across the population. A study found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
