The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a notably tough period as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my entire being will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, particularly those produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers discovered a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a source of agony for sufferers.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Typically, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid problematic noises.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"It's like this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Work on connecting the triggering sound affecting you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.