Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her relatives over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious 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 obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture 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: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
