The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her family over the holidays, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises made by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
