Christmas Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays can be a particularly difficult season as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling make her feel profound anxiety.
"I experience this sensation of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to stop these triggers."
The individual has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study discovered a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds associated with bodily functions that cause distress, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a internal conflict of enduring my distress to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. Typically, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will kick in.
"It may seem as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the particular sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge involving the source. As an example, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: A further strategy is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was sniffing, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
