The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the noises of people eating, slurping and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those coming from other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
