Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays can be a notably tough period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my every muscle will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to manage the meal. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic 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."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
