Christmas Often Proves to Be a Living Hell for Misophonia Sufferers.
A 23-year-old anticipates seeing her relatives this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll cope is by wearing her earplugs - particularly at Christmas dinner.
For her, this time of year is a particularly difficult time as the auditory triggers of family members munching, slurping and nose-blowing make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it feels like I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these noises."
The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that causes the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by those around you.
The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported nearly 20% people suffer from it.
Typically it's sounds linked to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.
"My relatives are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the most wonderful season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.
Noises that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can cause a strong emotional response that can even cause them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, says the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to cope. On any other day, she would often retreat in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her misophonia is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "difficult".
"There is pressure to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel anxious and immediately start crying and then panic will take over.
"It may seem as if I'm being difficult and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Handle It
If you suffer then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is key. Try to associate the specific noise causing distress with a neutral concept. As an illustration, try to envision someone's slurping is just a gentle stream. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily try mimicking the sound. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to invent a reason about the reason someone creating the sound is having to make that sound. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not in good health or could be emotional. The idea is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it moves from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.
