Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, slurping and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Imagination is key. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect 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 why the person making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
