Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that makes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Researchers found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises associated with mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
