Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays can be a notably tough period as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has suffered from misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
