Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises made by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
