Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
She has lived with this condition for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this 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 game with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
