Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
