Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for seeing her family over the holidays, but says a primary method she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from individuals.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become 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 withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains her strategy is to use headphones to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
