The Holiday Season Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits a primary method she'll endure is by using her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
In her case, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"There's this wave of instant dread, my entire being will just tense up and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
She has experienced this condition since she was 16 and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to certain sounds, notably sounds produced by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. Experts reported a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Typically it's noises associated with bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My relatives are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can cause a visceral feeling that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a university student, who has dealt with sound sensitivity for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to escape distressing triggers.
She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to spend time with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Three Ways to Cope
For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is essential. Attempt to link the specific noise causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. The goal is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Use Humor: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the game aspect should help shift your attention and make you slightly more tolerant.
- Develop a Narrative: One more method is to try to create a little story about the reason someone making the noise 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 are troubled. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
