The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
