The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman hopes for being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, especially noises made by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Researchers found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Imagination is key. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
