Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but says one of the only ways she'll endure is by using her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays is a notably tough period as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
She has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. A study found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful period can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"People assume you to be around family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is crucial. Work on connecting the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your understanding of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
