Christmas Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
