Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has experienced misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
