Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates being with her relatives over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, the holidays is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this wave of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the festive season "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It is prevalent amongst adults. Experts discovered nearly 20% people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, including examples such as chewing, breathing, and foot tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal for those with the condition.
Triggers that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, says her strategy is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will take over.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If you suffer then there are some different techniques you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Work on connecting the specific noise affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly try joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being annoying, to feeling a slightly more compassionate about it.
