Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"There's this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
