Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for being with her relatives this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a notably tough period as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by those around you.
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, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
