The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for seeing her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around family, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
