Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and sniffling trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises made by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, 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 dread it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
