Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates seeing her relatives this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
