The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to escape problematic noises.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt 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: One more method 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 feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.