Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year is a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the particular sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you slightly more tolerant.
- 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 sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
