Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, Christmas is a particularly difficult season as the noises of other people chewing, slurping and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
She has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that trigger a reaction, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her condition is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There is pressure to spend time with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain without firsthand experience."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the sound doesn't change, your interpretation of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
