Christmas Can Be a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
A 23-year-old anticipates being with her loved ones over the holidays, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by wearing her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For the 23-year-old, this time of year often feels like a especially challenging period as the sounds of other people chewing, sipping loudly and sniffling trigger extremely uncomfortable.
"I experience this feeling of immediate anxiety, my every muscle will just tighten and it feels like I'm in danger, and I need to manage these noises."
She has suffered from this condition from a young age and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to specific noises, particularly those produced by individuals.
The condition is widespread across the population. Experts found a significant portion of people suffer from it.
Often it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, as well as things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.
A Source of Dread
The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.
"My family are supportive, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of managing my symptoms to make sure everyone else is happy."
So it's clear why the most wonderful time of the year can rapidly become a living nightmare for sufferers.
Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or tucking into a Christmas dinner can trigger a powerful reaction that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.
She, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia from childhood, says currently her plan is to use headphones to get through dinner. Typically, she would usually isolate herself in a different room to avoid triggering sounds.
She notes her condition is worse around people she's most comfortable with, so Christmas is always "hard".
"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I wish to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.
"It's like this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel awkward, or I'll feel panicked and begin to weep and then the stress response will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and dramatic, but it's difficult to convey without firsthand experience."
Several Strategies to Cope
If it's an issue then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, based on advice from experts.
- Imagine a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is crucial. Attempt to link the triggering sound affecting you with something completely different. So for example, try to picture someone's noisy drinking is just a waterfall. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound triggering you isn't harmful.
- Make it a Game: Use lightheartedness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the culprit. As an example, if someone is crunching loudly try mimicking the sound. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the challenge should help shift your attention and make you a little less affected.
- Create a Scenario: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person creating the sound is having to make that sound. Imagine if someone was sniffing, it could be that they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. By doing this is changing the meaning of the sound. While the sound remains identical, your reaction of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
