Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates spending time with her family this Christmas, but admits one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year can be a particularly difficult period as the sounds of family members munching, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her intense distress.
"I get this feeling of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has suffered from this condition for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to particular auditory triggers, especially noises made by those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Frequently it's noises linked to bodily functions that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a living nightmare 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 cause a powerful reaction that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia from childhood, states currently her plan is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's most comfortable with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Work on connecting the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try copying the noise. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person making the noise is doing it. So if someone was making a nasal sound, maybe they are not at their best or maybe they're upset. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your understanding of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
