Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then panic will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
