Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, this time of year is a especially challenging time as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
She has experienced this condition for several years and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds made by individuals.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. Experts found almost one in five people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays 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 constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
