The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult season as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
