Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll endure is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
She has lived with this condition from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, 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.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound 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 changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
