Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays is a notably tough period as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, states currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
