Christmas Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
