Christmas Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year can be a notably tough time as the noises of family members munching, slurping and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has lived with misophonia from a young age and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
It is prevalent in the UK. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
