Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays is a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to escape distressing triggers.
She explains her condition 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 desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. Through participation, 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 somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
