The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
In her case, this time of year is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"There's 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 manage these sounds."
She has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
