Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, Christmas often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to guarantee the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, explains the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her misophonia is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise remains identical, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
