The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for being with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from other people.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
