Yuletide Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to seeing her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, slurping and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has experienced this condition for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, notably sounds made by other people.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
Jenna, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity since aged 10, says her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to experts.
- Visualise an Alternative: Imagination is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at 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.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
