The Holiday Season Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Researchers discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "I face so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful period can quickly turn into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your interpretation of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
