Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just freeze and it feels like I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to manage these triggers."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.
The condition is widespread amongst adults. A study reported a significant portion of people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises connected to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, along with things like crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "You encounter so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you dread it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of enduring my distress to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can provoke a powerful reaction that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would often retreat in a different room to escape triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"People assume you to socialize with family, and I want to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can use to handle the situation, as suggested by experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the specific noise affecting you with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly attempt joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're 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 understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.
