The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel intense distress.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these noises."
She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
