The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - especially during the main festive feast.
In her case, Christmas is a especially challenging time as the sounds of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this wave of instant dread, my every muscle will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to stop these triggers."
Lottie has experienced this condition for several years and for her that makes the festive season "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, especially noises made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers reported almost one in five people experience it.
Typically it's noises connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to ensure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a university student, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to manage the meal. Typically, she would frequently go in a quiet area to minimize problematic noises.
She notes her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and begin to weep and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's difficult to convey if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Manage
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise a Different Scenario: Imagination is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise bothering you with a neutral concept. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt mimicking the sound. By mimicking, rather than feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
