Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. A study reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
