Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year can be a especially challenging time as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious 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 most wonderful time of the year can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, 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.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
