Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
She has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
