The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - particularly at the main festive feast.
In her case, this time of year can be a especially challenging period as the sounds of people eating, sipping loudly and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those produced by those around you.
The condition is widespread across the population. Researchers reported nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is key. Try to associate the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. For instance, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For example, if someone is crunching loudly try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the sound stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
