Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to being with her family this Christmas, but admits a key strategy she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - particularly at Christmas dinner.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging season as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Manage
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
