Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises coming from other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
