Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, this time of year is a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
She has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Often it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can rapidly become a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a competition involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
