The Holiday Season Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old hopes for spending time with her relatives during the festive period, but admits a primary method she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her earplugs - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays can be a notably tough season as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and nose-blowing cause her profound anxiety.
"I get this sensation of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these sounds."
The individual has suffered from misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the Christmas time "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those coming from individuals.
It is prevalent across the population. Experts discovered almost one in five people suffer from it.
Often it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
'Anxiety Inducing'
She explains: "There are so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you dread it.
"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure the event goes smoothly."
So it's easy to understand why the traditionally happy season can rapidly become a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even result in them avoiding social settings altogether.
She, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains currently her plan is to listen to music to cope. Usually, she would frequently go in a different room to minimize triggering sounds.
She notes her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this intense irritation washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then panic will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If it's an issue then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by specialists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is crucial. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Try a Competition: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily have a go at mimicking the sound. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is behaving that way. So if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your understanding of it shifts from being irritating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
