Christmas Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for being with her family during the festive period, but says a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year can be a especially challenging season as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has experienced sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can provoke a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There is pressure to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Manage
For those affected then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the triggering sound causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
