Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
