Yuletide Transforms Into a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old is looking forward to spending time with her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll cope is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas can be a notably tough time as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a different room to minimize distressing triggers.
She says her condition is worse around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
