Yuletide Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her family during the festive period, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She says her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Creative thinking is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea 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.
