The Holiday Season Can Be a Terrifying Experience for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by using her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, the holidays is a especially challenging period as the noises of family members munching, sipping loudly and breathing heavily make her feel profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of instant dread, my every muscle will just freeze and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to specific noises, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Researchers found almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that cause distress, along with examples such as crunching, breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
Lottie says: "You encounter so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy time of the year can rapidly become a source of agony for those with the condition.
Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a visceral feeling that can even lead to them avoiding social settings altogether.
The student, a young adult, who has dealt with sound sensitivity from childhood, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to avoid triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"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 kick in.
"To others it appears as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from specialists.
- Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is key. Work on connecting the particular sound affecting you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Have a bit of fun and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily try joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone making the noise is behaving that way. Imagine if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your reaction of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
