The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her loved ones this Christmas, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a powerful reaction that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your interpretation of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
