Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates being with her loved ones this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
Lottie has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, particularly those made by those around you.
It is prevalent amongst adults. A study discovered almost one in five people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting 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 triggering you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
