The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her family over the holidays, but notes a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of other people chewing, slurping and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has experienced misophonia from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds coming from those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, along with things like chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or are troubled. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Even though the sound doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
