Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas can be a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try 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 a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique 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, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.