Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her relatives over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging season as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
