Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family this Christmas, but says a key strategy she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during the holiday meal.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and nose-blowing make her feel intense distress.
"I get this wave of sudden panic, my whole body will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in a threatening situation, and I need to somehow control these sounds."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that renders the festive season "incredibly overwhelming".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study discovered almost one in five people are affected by it.
Typically it's sounds linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that lead to discomfort, including examples such as chewing, heavy breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be daunting and make you fear it.
"My relatives are aware, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's clear why the traditionally happy season can transform into a source of agony for affected individuals.
Sounds that may seem harmless, like someone slurping a Buck's fizz, unwrapping gifts, or eating the holiday meal can cause a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
Jenna, a 21-year-old student, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her sensitivity is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"People assume you to be around family, and I desire to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then the stress response will take over.
"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and melodramatic, but it's difficult to convey unless you've experienced it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Visualise Something Else: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the particular sound bothering you with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt joining in. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy 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, perhaps 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 changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.