Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I get this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, especially noises produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Typically it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
