The Holiday Season Can Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman anticipates seeing her family this Christmas, but notes a primary method she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, the holidays often feels like a notably tough period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"There's this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just freeze and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
Lottie has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that makes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from those around you.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts discovered nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds connected to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
She explains: "I face so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure everyone else is happy."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy season can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can cause a powerful reaction that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with sound sensitivity for over a decade, explains currently her plan is to use headphones to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape triggering sounds.
She says her condition is more intense around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this uncontrollable anger washes over me, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then panic will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to specialists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a competition with the person. As an example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound 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. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
