Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear 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 internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
