The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger profound anxiety.
"There's this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from those around you.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me 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 enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to avoid distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
