Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By mimicking, 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 a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
