Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
One young woman is looking forward to being with her family this Christmas, but notes one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her earplugs - particularly at the holiday meal.
In her case, Christmas is a particularly difficult time as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and sniffling cause her profound anxiety.
"I experience this wave of immediate anxiety, my whole body will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to stop these noises."
The individual has lived with misophonia since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, particularly those coming from those around you.
It's surprisingly common across the population. A study found nearly 20% people are affected by it.
Typically it's noises linked to eating or drinking that lead to discomfort, including things like chewing, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
A Source of Dread
She explains: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you want to avoid it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very conscious 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 supposedly joyous period can transform into a stressful ordeal for sufferers.
Noises that may seem harmless, like someone drinking champagne, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or enjoying festive food can provoke a strong emotional response that can even cause them skipping events entirely.
Jenna, a university student, who has experienced sound sensitivity for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to get through dinner. On any other day, she would often retreat in a separate space to escape problematic noises.
She says her misophonia is worse around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "difficult".
"There's an expectation to be around loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.
"I feel as if this uncontrollable anger takes hold, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It may seem as if I'm being oversensitive and overreacting, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."
A Few Techniques to Manage
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can try to cope the situation, as suggested by clinical psychologists.
- Imagine an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Try to associate the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. So for example, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a sink draining water. This technique is to help your brain learn that the sound affecting you is neutral.
- Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and make the irritating noise into a challenge with the person. For example, if someone is crunching loudly attempt copying the noise. Through participation, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
- Develop a Narrative: Another technique is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone creating the sound is doing it. So if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not in good health or maybe they're upset. The idea is altering the perception of the sound. While the sound stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral about it.
