The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by other people.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.