Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging time as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
