Yuletide Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For her, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the noises of other people chewing, sipping loudly and nose-blowing trigger intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
She has experienced this condition from a young age and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, particularly those made by other people.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. Experts discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds associated with bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful period can rapidly become a source of agony for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, 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 result in them skipping events entirely.
The student, a university student, who has experienced misophonia since aged 10, says currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is crucial. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. So for example, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
