Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can transform into a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element 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. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
