Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
She has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, 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 ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
