Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study found nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method 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, maybe they are not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
