The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman anticipates seeing her loved ones over the holidays, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - especially during the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays often feels like a notably tough season as the auditory triggers of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
She has suffered from sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that causes the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very aware 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 easy to understand why the traditionally happy period can transform into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a university student, who has struggled with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more intense around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. 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 triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is doing it. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
