The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her family during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - notably for Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the auditory triggers of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has lived with sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by other people.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, as well as things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to minimize distressing triggers.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Picture an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about why the person 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. The idea is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
