The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that makes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
