Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for seeing her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. 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 slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
