Yuletide Can Be a Nightmare for Misophonia Sufferers.
One young woman hopes for spending time with her relatives this Christmas, but notes a key strategy she'll cope is by relying on her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
For the 23-year-old, Christmas often feels like a notably tough time as the sounds of people eating, slurping and breathing heavily trigger intense distress.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to stop these sounds."
The individual has lived with misophonia for several years and for her that causes the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a decreased threshold to certain sounds, notably sounds made by individuals.
It's surprisingly common in the UK. Experts reported a significant portion of people experience it.
Frequently it's noises associated with eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, along with things like crunching, breathing, and repetitive finger tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "There are so many different triggering sounds at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to spoil the mood. It's like a really big battle of managing my symptoms to guarantee others enjoy themselves."
So it's obvious why the most wonderful time of the year can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Noises that may be considered normal, like someone drinking champagne, unwrapping gifts, or enjoying festive food can trigger a strong emotional response that can even lead to them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia since aged 10, explains the approach she intends to use is to use headphones to manage the meal. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid triggering sounds.
She explains her misophonia is more intense around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "hard".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"I feel as if this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel anxious and burst into tears and then the stress response will kick in.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's hard to explain unless you've experienced it."
Three Ways to Manage
If you suffer then there are a few methods you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the particular sound affecting you with an unrelated image. For instance, try to picture someone's slurping is just a waterfall. By doing this is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the culprit. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is unwanted, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Craft a Story: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is doing it. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. Although the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a bit more accepting towards it.