The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing cause her intense distress.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
Lottie says: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says currently her plan is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a separate space to escape distressing triggers.
She says her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
