Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for being with her loved ones during the festive period, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year is a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
