The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I experience this wave of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds coming from individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful 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 easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of 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 slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
