The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds coming from individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a separate space to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
