Yuletide Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her loved ones this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll cope is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year is a especially challenging season as the noises of people eating, sipping loudly and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"There's this sensation of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has lived with sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that makes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people suffer from it.
Frequently it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for affected individuals.
Triggers that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, states currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Usually, she would often retreat in a separate space to minimize triggering sounds.
She explains her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with family, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"I feel as if this sudden rage takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Cope
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, according to specialists.
- Imagine Something Else: Mental imagery is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a waterfall. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. This approach is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise remains identical, your reaction of it shifts from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
