The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her family during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has suffered from this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Often it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. 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 rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, 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 fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
